The Guardians of All
by Teri Kelley
Summary: (Didn't know what to rate it, so I'm staying safe... lol...) Ok, this si about a new past revealed and the affects it has on the present. I will stop posting this if there are no reviews, so I hope you all enjoy it!
1. Default Chapter

::Does little happy dance on computer consel:: I am SO HAPPY!!!!! I have finally sent out a fic, one that I like and is turning out OK!!! Ok, well this is my first REALLY long fic, so bare with me on this one, alright? D'Accordo! I am shamed to say that I do not consider myself gifted in the writing arts, so if this seems it is coming from a slow start, blame it on Kim! It's always her fault! LOL! Well, on with the more important stuff...  
  
**::Disclaimer::**  
  
I don't own SM or any attached characters/concepts/ideas therein. I am a Po' Po' Chile and have little monies to offer the world, so please refrain from charging me with anything that involves giving monies on my part! It would be much appreciated. Grazie!  
  
OK, well, I will be putting up a ReadMe sometime soon, in it should be character profiles, and already I know some major spoilers are to be included. Read everything at your own caution! Send all flames/constructive criticism/miscellaneous to thunderheart1234511@yahoo.com, please! Read and Enjoy!  
  
~Erienne F. Sky~  
  
:~*Prologue*~: The Guardians Of All  
  
It was cold. Almost too cold to live with. Almost.  
  
Second member of the Third Alliance, Richter Rawk, stood in the Deserted Northern Plains. He looked over the vast tundra, taking in everything he saw slowly. He had only been here once before, and that was only for approximately three hours. That other time had been when he was born. He had selected this location for the meeting based on the only other reason he had to come back here. This was the region that had witnessed the conception of another soul. The Guardian of Death.  
  
His name, Richter, had come from his father, who had the power to cause great earthquakes whenever he so pleased. Rawk, which had been selected by his mother, after the High Council decided to omit into the use of the second name, was part of her native dialect. It meant "One with fire in his heart." It was not widely used in his language, but because his mother had great control over all things that involved fire, she had heard it many times in her youth. He had been blessed enough to receive the ability to morph from his natural state into that of another. This ability was extremely rare in his dimension. He knew it was one of the reasons why he had been chosen to become one of the members of the Alliances. The other reasons he had come to  
  
his current state were quite insignificant and boring to him. He had a vast knowledge of things that had happened in the Negaverse. He prided himself on it actually, but he knew that even his knowledge was limited. All he needed to know was that he was smart enough to actually be a member in the Alliances, and that not only his talents were part of the deal.  
  
"I see your early as usual, Richter," Rawk turned, to face the familiar voice. Standing before him was a man dressed almost exactly like him. Richter wore a blue Members' cloak, with gray slacks. His jacket was decorated with many medals and pins to glorify his many achievements. Rawk had blue gray eyes, and pale green hair. His eyes were perfectly shaped and spaced, his nose a slender point in the center of his face. His mouth was just the right size, not too big nor too small. His skin was a healthy tan color, showing that although his work was strenuous he still had the time to give to the things he wanted to do, unlike most other Alliance Members.  
  
Now, although Apatran Medium, the man standing before Rawk, had been in the Alliance for two-hundred and fifty more years than Rawk, Medium was very far from being his superior. Rawk was part of the highly trained group, who considered themselves elite, that formed the part of the Alliances that was devoted to War Tactics, and all things included.  
  
Medium was wearing the same type of blue cloak, with gray slacks. But his cloak was much less decorated. He was quite handsome, as most people in the Negaverse were, and had similar features to Rawk. His nose was slightly longer, but it accented his other features. His eyes were round, and it  
  
seemed as though anyone who dared to look into them would be lost in a pit of icy blue and dark green, as if drowning in an ocean of despair and torment. Mediums' eyes displayed all of the pain, hurt and distrust he felt towards others. Rawk had come to be the only person he could trust in the years. His lips were thick, but not to the point where he bore a resemblance to Angelina Jolie. His skin was a lighter shade than Rawk's, but not pale. His hair was a  
  
light green/blue shade, and his bangs, which seemed to block his view, extended to the length of his ear.  
  
"I try to keep up appearances," Rawk said, "In more ways than one." He said this while adjusting his cloak, and tapping on one of his medals.  
  
"Yes I see," Medium said, an unusual grin spreading across his face, "Let's skip the pleasantries, shall we? What do you want to ask of me? Or if you ask nothing, why did you call me to this God-forsaken place?"  
  
"This is the only place remote enough for me to talk to you," Rawk paused, "Without anyone hearing of it, or eavesdropping on our conversation. What I have to say is of the uttermost importance, and no one knows of it, except,  
  
maybe, the Queen. I know for a fact that King Mahalika knows nothing of it, though."  
  
"And this, information, say," Medium said, slowly; deliberately, "It is this important?"  
  
"Yes," Rawk said, "If not more."  
  
"So why could I need to hear about this?"  
  
"It of the most importance, and I need a lot of help to get this over with as quickly as possible. Did you ever hear of the Guardian Of Death?"  
  
"Of course," Apatran was grinning again, remembering the strange tales from his childhood, "I actually heard about it from Petrilla, after the chaos factor took her over, and she told me about a human, born in the Negaverse, who would someday return, and strike down the barrier between the Negaverse and Earth. I never did fully believe that story. But it came of use whenever those children from the CFEC would come to visit. They found it to be quite interesting."  
  
"Well, take a good look around, and remember this place, and what I say," Richter looked Apatran square in the eyes, "You are, if you were to believe the stories, standing on what could be referred to as 'Holy Ground'. This is where the Guardian of Death was conceived. It was witnessed by Queen Beryl, who was actually the reason for the conception. She forced the intercourse to take place, watched it, and then forced the lesser companion to seek homage again in the time plain, and sent the other with the Moon," these words were not registering in Medium's mind. He was having trouble deciphering their seemingly guarded meaning. Rawk saw the look on his face and said, "I will  
  
not tell you the two persons involved in the creation, nor will I tell you who the other nine people more loosely involved are. This caution is only for your safety.  
  
"After the mother was sent to the plain of time, where she spent eight and a half months, and then gave birth to the man who could destroy the boundaries of our worlds in a split second," he paused and took in a deep breathe,  
  
then exhaled with a sigh, and continued: "But something terribly wrong happened. Another child came, right after the first, a baby girl. There was never anything mentioned about twins in the legends. And when this second child came, the mother was put into a traumatic state of shock, thus forcing her physically and mentally forgetting both her children and their origins. The strain had been too much for her soul, mind, and body to handle, and she  
  
forced herself to forget everything," he paused, "And too this day she still doesn't know."  
  
He looked in Medium's eyes and saw the mixture of emotions in them. Sadness; shock; disbelief; all mixing together. He continued: "But there was one thing that had to be determined. Which one of the children was the Guardian of Death? Which one had the power to break down the walls between two realms at silent war? Which didn't?  
  
"Oh, yes," Rawk said, smiling gently at the overlooked fact, "You are probably wondering where the children were sent after their mother went into shock. Well, the boy was sent to the Moon Kingdom. He was placed in a time chamber, and put into a deep sleep, on request of the Guardian of Time, since no one yet knew of the war between our worlds, and was only to be awakened after the war with the Negaverse had subsided. But he awoke on his own, far too early, and was sent to the planet of Pluto, where we lost track of him when Beryl attacked the Kingdom.  
  
"The girl was taken care of differently, however. She was sent to the Underworld to live with others of her kind. After 1,500 years of living under her God, she left, and went to guard the Eternal Plain, which had been left when its true guardian was called elsewhere. She left the Plain and went to the Moon, where she saw the remains of the once flourishing palace. She traveled to the rest of the planets, and then settled on Earth, two-hundred years after she had first set out. She and her brother are now 2,257 years old. But, due to the fact that her brother was in the time chamber for one thousand years, he may only remember being alive for 1,257 years." Medium looked down at the ground beneath him, knowing that he could leave it at any moment, just will his body to jump, and *poof*, he was in the air, soaring high above everything else. But he would stay. His friend, the only true friend he had had in years was asking him for help, and he needed to be here to find out what was going on.  
  
"So, now that I know the past, what holds the present and the future for our twisted, bitter souls?" Apatran said this with mock malice in his voice. Richter couldn't help but grin at him. "Apparently, the boy has found his mother and father on Earth, around the city Tokyo. The girl is still searching for her brother, and it wont take her long, since she is in Tokyo right now. And because she and her brother are twins, she need only to see his face to know it is him, for they look pretty much the same."  
  
~End Prologue~ 


	2. The Guardians of All-1

Here it is! The FIRST CHAPTER!! (dun-dun-dun) *Gasp Gasp* I am shocked at my own brilliance! J/K, J/K...I cannot even pretend to be cocky with myself...and ego trip does not suit me that much, I would much rather go on vacation first! (Drum cue and follow through! Laughter from listening audiances) Naw, seriously folks, I'm here Mondays and Tuesdays! Try the chicken! ( I know I know...all laugh at my lame attempts at a drawn laugh...oh well...::Heaves large sigh::) Ok, standard disclaimers apply (Insert standard SM disclaimer here--) On with the story!  
  
~*~Love and live, and in loving, find a meaning for life~*~  
  
~Erienne F. Sky~  
  
:~*Chapter One*~: The Guardians Of All  
  
Serena was sitting in her math class and, as usual, was daydreaming about her next visit with Darian. She got a letter from him saying that he wanted her to meet him at the park so they could talk. Although she was really confused about this (as she was about almost everything I might add) she thought it was very cute of him to make such a romantic gesture. She couldn't wait to tell Rei all about their "romantic rendezvous" when they were done "talking" (for no one knows yet what Darian wants with Serena).  
  
"Serena?" she was pulled from her thoughts by the sound of her instructors' voice.  
  
"What? Oh, sorry." she said in a very dreamy voice.  
  
"Now that I have your attention, Serena, what is the name of the vertical axis on the graph?" Serena scratched her head and looked over at Molly for a little bit of help. She received none."Uhh... Seven?"  
  
"Maybe if I had asked what two plus two was you would have been closer. Now pay attention Serena. If the Y axis goes along this straight path, then the X axis--"  
  
Her teachers voice was lost again as she grew quickly bored and looked out the window towards the lawn. All she wanted was for school to be over, and then she could see Darian. She spent the rest of the class dreaming of Darian or sleeping, while dreaming of Darian. When the bell finally rang she caught up with Rei and the others. She told them about the letter and they all said that she was so lucky that she had a boyfriend like Darian who was so cute and kind as well (all of them except Ami, who casually brought up the fact that a letter such as that did not sound like something that Darian would do, unless there was something quite important he had to discus with Serena). Serena was convinced that it was a quiet romantic evening with just her and Darian, alone, in the park.  
  
****  
  
Darien was very apprehensive about his arranged meeting with Serena. He recalled his dream, the one that had kept him restless for two straight days. It always started the same. He was standing at the edge of his bed, watching himself sleep. The the sliding door that led from his room to a small balcony would open and a strange, purple fog would drift in. At the head of the fog would be Setsunna's Time Staff, the small heart shaped jewel pulsating as it drifted closer to him. Setsunna's voice would come to him, and he would listen in perplexed silence as she talked, her body no where to be seen. "Darien," she started, her voice strong, full, "I have been led by the Fates to inform you of a hardship to come. One that will not be easily overtaken. You have taken on many battles with Princess Selenity, most at the risk of your own life, but none will compare with what is to come. So please, take hold of my staff and prepare yourself for answers to questions you did not know to ask." He would then move forward, in a way that made him believe he had no control over his actions, but was more or less sitting on a ride and watching what was going on around him, not asking questions or following his mind, but getting answers and being led around. Usually he would forget what had happened next when he woke up, but last night he had remembered everything clearly when he woke up. He had reached out for the staff and held it in his shaking hand. He had then been pulled away from his room, but all that was happening seemed to only be watched by him, not as if it was happening to him. He saw himself floating away from his building, far into the sky, clutching the staff, not able to let go even if he wanted to. The staff brought him to a stop somewhere far away from the Earth's atmosphere, watching the swiftly tilting planet from afar. There was a peacefulness about it that rested him, yet an expectation that caught him offguard. He turned to look behind him and saw, perched in the sky as a glowing orb of radiant beauty, the moon, solemn and peaceful. He sighed, turning back to the Earth. But the Earth was not where he had last saw it; It was gone. He looked around almost wildly for the planet, seeing no sight of it anywhere. Rather, he watched himself do all of this. "You will not find what you seek here," Setsunna's voice came to him from everywhere and nowhere, "I am showing you one of two possible futures. This is one of them. Here, you see what may happen if certain choices are made. Look," somehow, even without her near him to direct him, she knew where she wanted him to look, "The Earth's gravitational force on the moon has been released, and the moon will now move on to smash into Jupiter, causing a sonic boom that will destroy this universe as we know it. Now, come," The staff again pulled him off, and in the distance he saw the moon drifting away from him...  
  
He was sitting at a table, Setsunna across from him. He recognized the place he was in as his own apartment. He looked through the kitchen into the living and saw himself sitting on the couch, Serena cradled in his arms, her face red from tears that were still coursing down her cheeks. He heard the voices of the other Senshi coming from different rooms, a mixture of several male and female voices he didn't recognize among them. He looked over at Setsunna, his expression askance. "They cannot see or hear us," she said, not mentioning the voices that slightly unnerved him, "This is the next of the two possible futures. The outcomes you have seen here are what may happen after this next trial that you and the others shall face. Be wary in face of these trials, Darien. At some point you will need the knowledge I have given you now, and at that point you will realize the value of what I have shown you. Take this and learn from it, for at the right time you will know where all this comes in..." she looked at him pointedly, and he nodded his consent to her words, "I leave you with this, Endymion. (Setsunna had a nasty habit of calling him by his past name...She couldn't forget the past as easily as the others.) 'To seek Earth's Death, with punishable price, will call upon the Life, who will pay for the strife; Yet, call upon the Life, for everlasting joy, domlish the Death, for which love isn't meant; Or, Defeat with love the eternal Death, and cherish the Life, 'or a lifetime and hence.' It will all come to you with time, Endymion; It will all come with time..." And then she was gone, and he was no longer sitting at his table in another time, but in his bed in the present. He needed to talk to someone about this... That thought in mind, he picked up a piece of paper and a pen from his nighttable and jotted a quick note to Serena. He would have Lita give it to her at another time. She was trustworthy. He laid back down in bed, his mind and heart troubled by what the future held...  
  
****  
  
"Bright Shadow..." a young girl, looking approximately 18 years old, held her hands above her head, palms toward the sky, as she twirled in a circle, and a black ball of energy formed at her fingertips, "MIST!"  
  
With the last cry, the ball sprang to life, and moved forward, as her hands came down, and directed it at the woman who stood about 100 yards from her. The energy sent off many tendrils of smaller balls, and then formed into a cloud of blackness, which moved rapidly towards the other woman.  
  
"Spring Waterfall.." this time, the woman, who looked about 28, held one hand above her head, gathering water from out of no where, and then, with her other hand, gathered an orb of pale blue energy, "KISS!" she cried as she brought the orb to her lips, let it go, and merged it with the large glowing ball of water. With both her hands together at the small of her palms, she threw out a large wave of energy and crystallizing water at her daughters attack. The wave tore through the black mist, leaving only three tendrils of black energy left, before they dissapated into thin air.  
  
The young girl stood up straight, and walked slowly towards her mother. There was a grin spread over her perfect lips, her blue/green hair moving softly over her shoulders, down to the small of her back. Her dark purple eyes shone brightly, her silver crescent moon sigil, turned so it looked like a U, pulsed slightly.  
  
Her mother walked towards her, her gold crescent moon sigil, also shaped like a U, was pulsing brightly. Her silver hair was slightly longer than her daughter's, but flowed in gentle waves, unlike her daughters straight hair. Her eyes were set apart perfectly, and their unusual color, green/blue/gray, only added to the beauty her face possessed. Her daughter looked exactly like her, the only differences being the colors that varied.  
  
"That was a very good display, Juno," the older one said, "I actually had to stress myself to kill that attack, as I am sure you can see," She pointed to her pulsing sigil as she said this.  
  
"Of course," Juno said, "Why else would I be grinning like a Cheshire cat?"  
  
"True," her mother chuckled softly.  
  
"Should we try it again with different attacks? I want to try out my 'Death Inner Reflection' again. I had problems with it before, I can't remember what it is supposed to do."  
  
"It is supposed to paralyze the person whom you are attacking. It lets them see the wrongs they are doing and, occasionally, sets them back on track. It's a very good attack to know."  
  
"Yes it is," came a deep, male voice from behind them. Both woman jumped at this intrusion.  
  
"Zere, you must stop doing that!" his wife chided gently.  
  
"I know, but it is so much fun to make you two jump out of your skin!" the man now identified as Zere said.  
  
"Dad, you should really stop that," Sailor Juno said, "One day we will end up killing you if you don't, especially when we are in training!"  
  
"Sure Kiara, whatever you say," Zere wrapped his arms around his daughters waist, lifted her body effortlessly, and through her up into the air, then caught her.  
  
"I hate it when you do that," Juno said, "I'm not five-hundred years old anymore Dad, I really don't like it. Now, put me down so I can go change." Her father complied with the order, and Kiara (a.k.a. Juno) left the training room to change.  
  
Her mother held up her transformation key, a small rod which had a ball of pale blue energy at the tip, surrounded by three rings, one red, one blue, and one green. At the other end, there was a small golden crescent moon, which sat in the middle of two feathered wings, which were also pale blue. The rod itself was a pale purple. On the rod was imprinted a silver key. Ribbons of pale blue and dark purple energy swarmed down from the pen and engulfed Sailor Ceres as she transformed back into her natural form, Milan De'ponde Eart. She turned and faced her husband, who appeared to be around 29, but was truthfully 1,920 years old. His face was pure beauty, his eyes a pale purple, his mouth poised and perfect. His hair was as long as his wife's, though set in a dark blue color that did not take away from his masculinity. He had a strong build, but was abnormally strong no matter what he looked like. On his forehead was a blue crescent moon sigil, also shaped like a U.  
  
"So, Zere," she said softly, "When shall we descend out of this roach hotel and feast upon the beauties of this new planet? And besides tourism, we must find the Guardian of Life, and the Princess. Not to mention the other Senshi and the Prince."  
  
"We shall leave later today, when the sun is setting. But, Milan, I must warn you. Finding the Princess and her court shall be easy. But when the time comes to intervene and tell them about us, they will be wary and suspicious. I mean, its not everyday a group of people discover that their long lost cousins have come back from the dead to help them in the future."  
  
****  
  
Yaten Kou, a rather short man compared to his companions, was, yet again, feeling very irritable. He had not wanted to become a man, yet as his duties came before pleasure, he did what he was told. As of the moment, him and his friends, Seiya Kou and Taiki Kou, were traveling from downtown Tokyo to the Chiba apartment, where they had been told to go when they were done travelling through space and time.  
  
"I still don't know why we are doing this," Yaten said, a grumble in his voice.  
  
"It's very simple Yaten," Taiki said, his head blocked by the book he was reading, "We were told to come here by Princess Kakyuu, so we came. We are supposed to help the Sailor Senshi, whoever they are, get through what is supposed to be their hardest mission yet. And if we survive the battles, we are supposed to take a vacation, since Atria has found a bunch of Sailor Stars to cover for us. And in their hands, the Princess should be quite safe."  
  
"Right," said Seiya, who had found that he liked the windows of this bus better than the windows of the old bus, for they weren't tinted, and allowed him to see much more of the outside world. He looked in awe as a group of girls passed by, all wearing shorts that could only pass as underwear in his home. They wore shirts that looked like small pathetic cloths that had been pieced together by small, almost un-noticeable rubberbands. He was watching as they walked down the street as he drove by, straining his neck to see their perfect rears, when he felt a hand on his shoulder. It was Taiki, who had apparently left his book on his seat.  
  
"Down boy," he said softly, "We have more important fish to catch."  
  
"I know," Seiya said, stubbornly, yet with a note of shame to his voice now, "But its hard to concentrate in these surroundings. It's much easier when the only thing to pay attention to is the Princess and the enemy. Here there are too many distractions. I can't take this kind of pressure."  
  
"Okay," Taiki said slowly, thinking his friend a little too distracted, "Just keep your head out of the clouds and we'll all be fine. Look at Yaten," he said, gesturing to the pale-white haired boy with a wave of his hand, "He amuses himself the best way he can. And you should try it too."  
  
"You mean you want me to start beating the PlayStation console to death because of no apparent reason?"  
  
Taiki gave him a hard look, "No, I want you to find something constructive to do. Good-luck."  
  
"Thanks," Seiya mumbled. He sat back in his seat, only thinking about what to do that would be time consuming and constructive for approximately ten seconds, after which he resumed the tedious task of finding a way to look at all the wonderful bodies passing him by without doing any permanent damage to his neck.  
  
****  
  
The rift between space and time rippled outward, contorting into a sphere of black energy that moved from a single epicenter. The first limbs of a dark figure could be seen as another ripple spread through the black portal. Once  
  
the figure was through, all the ripples sent out through the sphere were retracted and the blackness fell in on itself to form a small sphere of blue energy. The figure reached out its hand and gently plucked the circle  
  
from its position in time and absorbed it into its palm.  
  
The darkness that placed a shroud over the area around the shadowy figure caused a chill to run through its veins. She looked around her, recognizing the area only through the many times she had peeked in on it, but never before having been here in the physical form. The downtown Tokyo district she was in was mainly comprised of the richer social class. She needed to get to the small apartment housing building that was set up just outside of the Crossroads.  
  
She pulled from her robe a glass file, which looked just like a normal test tube, plugged with a cork, and sealed with candle wax. In it was a blue energy cloud. She sighed quietly to herself when she remembered the trouble she had to go through to get the file enchanted with a spell of endurance.  
  
Her thoughts drifted back to her purpose and the sudden happiness she had felt drifted far away from any of her immediate thoughts. Back to task, she checked her surroundings to see where she was. I will only have to travel a little ways to get to their house, she thought. Carefully placing the file back into her robe, she began to walk towards the Crossroads, wishing she was back in the Underworld.  
  
*~*End Chapter1*~* 


	3. The Guardians of All-2

This Chapter is kinda short, for I am trying to finish all the other Fics that I have going at the moment as well...But don't fear, for this fic is going to be really, really, really, long...I am far from done...Review ro send me an email please! You can email me at Thunderheart1234511@yahoo.com, or LuvrGrlTeri182@aol.com. Keep reading, its only getting better! (I will soon post a ReadMe with Character Profiles and such so it wont be as confusing as it is now.)  
  
:~*Erienne F. Sky*~:  
  
:~*Chapter Two*~: The Guardians Of All  
  
  
  
It had been about twenty years since Tobius had left the Moon to go to Earth to find his parents. He sighed, realizing that now that he had reached his goal, he was apprehensive to make the first step. He knew it was not going to be easy. He had to find an easy way in, hopefully to help the situation for the best.  
  
He was walking down one of the more crowded streets oh the Crossroads, and was preparing to cross the road, when a familiar face caught his eye. He stared, paused in mid-step, as the young girl walked right past him, flashing a wonderful smile to all she could, himself included, and kept on going. Her hair was a perfect pink color, her eyes a deep ruby red. Her hairstyle was quite odd on Earth, though not so much in her home. A small gray cat walked briskly beside her, a small gold crescent moon on its forehead. He turned his route and followed the small child, hoping to find what he had been missing for more than a thousand years in doing so...  
  
**********  
  
The shadows were long on his face...the face of a warrior..He stood before his Empress, a frown spread across his full lips.. he knew naught of how to approach her, but it had taken her years to allow any one to see her. She was stunningly beautiful, but her eyes reflected her hatred for all. They almost spoiled her beauty.. almost. She was said to be cautious around all, but her power exceeded all others.. she had nothing to fear from anyone. "My Queen," he said, his voice fearful yet strong, "I have found Prince Tobius. I suggest we attack immediately, before the others.."  
  
"SILENCE!" Queen Hannibelle's voice was hard as stone and could pierce through a raging Nor'Easter. Serlio Serpent, a member of the Fifth Alliance, shuddered under her hateful voice. Queen Hannibelle lifted her arm and pointed a finger at Serlio. "I am your queen," she said, "And I take orders from no one. If I wanted to forge an attack I would have made the order to do so. You have disgraced yourself for imposing an order on myself and the High Counsel. Go to your Alliance and inform them that there will be no attack held just yet. So go! NOW!" and with that Serlio stood up, bowed, and turned on his heel to go back into the light.  
  
Queen Hannibelle was alone after the doors to the throne were closed. She lifted her hand and waved a circle in the air. A glowing orb appeared before her. In it was the youthful face of the one she loved. She sighed deeply. She  
  
knew she could never have him, he was of a richer quality. A good quality. She had no quality and was evil. She couldn't stand the thought of him being so close when she couldn't have him. Oh well, she thought, I'll need to stop  
  
this self pitying and start focusing on the destruction of the sailorscouts. Queen Hannibelle began to wonder what her husband, Mahalika, would do to her if he found out about her straying emotions. She waved her hand in the air  
  
and Tobius' face disappeared in a puff of smoke.  
  
**********  
  
Rini was walking down the sidewalk, whistling and carrying on with a low- toned conversation with Diana when she got an odd feeling in the center of her stomach. She didn't miss a beat, however, and continued smiling and whistling and talking in her walk. That was odd, she thought. That has never happened before... I wonder if it means anything...Maybe I should just ask Diana and see if she knows what its all about. Yeah, I guess I will do that.  
  
"Diana?" Rini whispered through the side of her mouth, pushing back the odd feeling that persisted in her gut, cutting off the small kitten in midsentence.  
  
"Yes?" Diana whispered back, her voice high no matter how low she wanted it to be.  
  
"I just got a strange feeling...could we go in a back alley somewhere so you can change and I can talk to you in the Arcade or something?"  
  
"Okay..." she said slowly, curious as to what this was all about. "How about there?"  
  
A small crack was just visible between two buildings dead ahead. The crevice was big enough for a small child around Rini's size to fit in.  
  
"Perfect." The duo bounced off towards the break, squeezing in, and then moving as far away from the street as possible.  
  
"Okay, stand back so I don't squish you when I turn. And try to block me from the street." Diana instructed.  
  
"That shouldn't be too hard," Rini mumbled, moving back a little and turning so her body blocked all vision from the street beyond. "That good?" she asked.  
  
"Exactly what I had in mind. Okay, here I go." The cat sat on its hind legs, its moon sigil glowing brightly in the dim crevice, while swirling ribbons of energy laced out from the crescent moon to surround her body in a cast of yellow energy. A bright flash of light surrounded the two as a strong energy pulse filled the area.  
  
When Rini's eyes adjusted back to the dim surroundings, she saw standing before her a girl who was about her height. Her hair was up in a style that held two buns that were shaped like hearts on her head. Her eyes were a deep blue color, and on her forehead was a gold crescent moon sigil. She was dressed in a very odd outfit; a low cut shirt with long sleeves, revealing her curiously large bosom; a gold belt that sent six rods of pure gold that had silver balls attached at the end down between the creases in her skirt, which was a dark red color (like the rest of her outfit). About three inches below the hem of the skirt, which was quite short, two dark red boots could be seen.  
  
The girl held a small pen above her head, and she was suddenly standing in a very similar attire as Rini's. She wore short dark blue shorts (Rini's were pink), a light yello tank (Rini's was blue), and yellow Uptowns (Rini's were blue). She touched her forehead and her sigil faded away.  
  
The pink-headed girl grabbed her friends hand and raced back onto the street, eager to get to the Arcade.  
  
**********  
  
Tobius was a little shocked to see two girls instead of one emerge from between the two buildings. He recovered quickly as he realized the burst of energy he had felt earlier must have been the cat transforming into the girl. He knew he was right then, that this child was one of the Moon. He followed the two into an arcade, and saw that they had chosen a booth near the back of the establishment. He chose to sit near them, where he was able to steal pieces of their conversation.  
  
:~*End Chapter2*~: 


	4. The Guardians of All-3

Here is Chapter 3!! Much more to go...Sorry it took me so long to get this one out, I had to keep up with other things...Then Christmas happened and I completely lost track of everything...Well, more like the season, but whatever. ;p Ok, I promise to try and dish out at least one chapter a week. I will do my best!! Send all flames and etc. to thunderheart1234511@yahoo.com.  
  
They are expected and accepted...but that doesn't mean I am going to let them go un-replied to! ;p lol... ok, whatever... Enjoy the fic!! (AN: it has been EXTREMELY Americanized! There is Football mentioned...)  
  
:~*Erienne F. Sky*~:  
  
:~*Chapter Three*~: The Guardians of All  
  
  
  
Lita walked out of the small knoll , Mina right behind her. They had been sparring, using their newest attacks, getting used to them, and getting a feel for the others'. They had combined their attacks, Jupiters Oak Revolution and Venus' Meteor Shower, getting the motes of energy and the electrically charged masses to merge, forming a new power, far more destructive. Both pleased with the days progresses, they decided to hit the Crown, picking up some smoothies while they were there.  
  
They began the walk, talking on their way.  
  
"So, who do you think it is?" Mina asked, tossing her hair behind her and smiling brilliantly at a *much* older man walking past her.  
  
"Our new enemy? I guess I think it ties in with the Negaverse, them being energy suckers and all. But its weird, sorta like they have grown stronger since we last fought them."  
  
"Yeah, I know what you mean. I had to spread out my Meteor Shower and top it with TWO Crescent Beams just to get three youma toasted last time! And they must have gotten smarter, too! (AN: The Negaverse is finally making progress without the aid of yaoi! ::No offense to yaoi fans, I like Duo and Heero together as much as the next gal! Relena SUCKS!...Somehow I don't think that belongs here...::) They finally realized to send more than one youma at a time! I never thought they would. Pity, though. It will be a little harder to kill them now."  
  
"I'm never one to give on a challenge, so I would like to see them do their best. It's about time they shaped up. I was getting tired of all that hubbub no-technique fighting." Jupiter scowled, recalling the skills so many youma they had fought lacked.  
  
The blond grimaced, but quickly turned it into a sunny smile as a boy on a skateboard went quickly by, turning to catch a look at Mina's rear, then smashing into a lamppost. "I still wish Luna would let us get out of school to practice," she said, giggling at the young mans antics, "I mean, I'm never one to work, but at least there is a little bit of fun in the physical practice than the mental one. I never thought school would be so boring as a child. I couldn't wait to go. What a disapointment that was."  
  
The brunette Princess laughed. "Yeah, I know that one. It's odd, really, how we never have to fight during school hours. But I guess its because all our enemies like to attack at night or when more people are out. After school hours. Too bad," she thought for a second, then motioned for Mina to follow her across the street.  
  
"Poor Serena, though. It must be harder on her. We always count on her to bail us out of tight situations. She always offs the youma. She always has to be at EVERY fight, to off the youma. Sometimes we don't make it, but they don't really miss us, it's Serena who needs to be there. We owe her so much, but we give her so much grief. But I guess she understands because she always helps. Then there is her school work! Did you know she is failing almost every class? She does very well in gym, A+, but only because of Luna's training sessions. Coach said she had the arm of Bradly, and we all know how good that is! Oh, Brad is so dreamy! Being the starting quarter back is so special to him! I wish he would take me to the dance." Her eyes took on a dreamy gleam and smiled warmly.  
  
"Boy, you are the digressing master, aren't you, Mina? Oh well," she moved on to what she thought were more pressing matters, "What do you think of last weeks fight? Those youma seem to be getting gradually stronger as we fight them more. I hope Serena has enough strength to keep up with their increase. Hell, I hope I do! Don't look now, but here comes Andrew. He looks so much like my old boy... Hey, Andrew! Whats up?"  
  
Andrew smiled at the pair, waving and walking to meet up with them. "Nothing much, really. Just leaving, it's the new girls shift. Keep an eye on her for me, will ya? She seems trustworthy, but something about her rubs me the wrong way. Ok, well I will catch you two later! Bye!" With that he walked off, leaving the duo to stare at his retreat.  
  
"I will never get tired of that view as long as I live," Mina muttered, turning to enter the Arcade. Lita followed her, grinning wickedly, innapropriate thoughts running through her head.  
  
**********  
  
*This is definitely NOT what I thought I would be doing to try and find the Guardian,* Terra thought, moving a rag quickly over the counter. *If only I had been able to find the house. Or at least the apartment! Why do people I on this planet always have to go out on Friday nights and Saturdays?*  
  
The young woman behind the counter could only be identified as the cloaked stranger who had entered into the realm the night before through a portal of her own design. In her pocket, safely hidden and protected by a charm, was the small vial that was so precious to her.  
  
She looked to be somewhere between nineteen and twenty-five. She had long, waist length hair of an ebony charm, taking on a shiny glint in the florescent lights, that was tied up in a ponytail. A few strands had strayed in her preperation for the day. She was good at cleaning and dishing out drinks, but the labor took away from her looks.  
  
Terra had dark emerald eyes, a tinge of hazel hidden within. Her nose was a perfect button at the center of her face, her lips full and velumptuous. The freshly starched white apron she wore did little to hide her perfectly rounded curves. She wore a deep green V-neck T-shit, a few chocolate sploches on it from the little girl who wanted more whipped cream. A rather short pair of light blue shorts clung to her well musceled thighs and rear, showing off more than the average person did.  
  
*This would be a lot easier if these earth boys would stop oggling me,* she thought, pouring a fountain coke into a tall glass, *What do they think this is? The zoo? Curse my brother for getting me into this position. They better hurry up and ge-* her thoughts were cut off by the appearance of a rather tall young man in the door to the Arcade. *God's nightgown!*  
  
It was who she was blasting, her brother, Tobius, the Guardian of Death. It was unknown to him, his origins, what he was, but he had to be protected. That was why she was there. On a mission from the Goddess to protect her brother and the Earth, its populus, the Princess and her court especially.  
  
He took a seat, Away from most any other people, and picked up the menu as if trying to figure out what to buy. Terra saw that two girls were sitting quite close to where her brother was, in fact, he seemed to be trying to listen to what they were saying. *Kami's Nightgown!* she thought, *My brother's an eves dropper! Well, I will have to see whats going on!*  
  
With that, she picked up her pad and pencil, forgot about her rag, and walked towards the back booths of the Crown, determined to figure out what was going on.  
  
***********  
  
(AN: If you don't understand this, read the Prologue.)  
  
"So," Medium asked, his gaze on the blue and yellow  
  
medal that was placed on Rawk's breast pocket, "What  
  
does this have to do with me? What favor do you need to ask of me?"  
  
Rawk sighed, "I need you to go to Tokyo and send a youma to attack the boy, I will tell you who he is when you get to Earth, for telling you now would be far to risky. Do not worry about your absence, it has been taken care off."  
  
"So you want me to send a youma to attack the Guardian? Have you gone mad?! Why?"  
  
"For the same reasons we do anything, to destroy the Sailor Scouts."  
  
Medium was surprised a little by this, "I should have known. What do the Sailor Brats have to do with this?"  
  
"They are in possession of the Guardian, believing that he is one of them. They do not yet know of the other, the girl, but soon enough they will, and when they find out, the fate of the Negaverse will be in their hands once again."  
  
"So why do you wish to attack the Guardian?"  
  
"If we do, the scouts will defend him, and when they do, I want you to follow them, and keep an eye on them, discover who they are. And when you do, report back to me. We will then spend our time trying to find the girl."  
  
"But if the boy is the Guardian of Death, what is the other one?"  
  
"The Guardian of Life,"  
  
"And what is the purpose of the Guardian of Life? To stop the Guardian of Death from destroying the lines which keep our dimensions separate? Or to destroy the Guardian of Death?"  
  
"From what we know, the Guardian of Life has many different ways of protecting the Earth. She can stop the Guardian of Death, destroy the Guardian, or Re-instate the Earth's presence if it is destroyed when the dimensional walls  
  
collapse. In all, the Guardian of Life has more power than that of the Guardian of Death, and is to be feared greatly."  
  
"But what if the girl appears when the youma attack the Guardian of Death? What shall I do? You said yourself that she was in Tokyo,"  
  
"That is another hope of ours, that she will appear, and we will be able to apprehend her, and the boy, before any more damage can be done."  
  
Medium looked at Rawk, "What type of youma should I send?"  
  
"The strongest one you have," And with that, Rawk entered a space portal and disappeared inside.  
  
"Good-bye," Medium said, "My friend."  
  
:~*End Chapter3*~:  
  
What do you think? Good enough? Ok, well please send all thoughts to Thunderheart1234511@yahoo.com. I hope you enjoyed this fic, and will enjoy the ones to come!  
  
*Live and love, and in loving, find a meaning for life.*  
  
:~*ErienneSky*~: 


	5. The Guardians of All-4

:~*Erienne F. Sky*~:  
  
:~*Chapter Four*~: The Guardians of All  
  
  
  
"What would you like today?" Terra asked sweetly, looking down at the two girls. *That certainly is an odd color of hair,* she thought, looking at the pink-headed child.  
  
"I'll have a chocolate shake with bannana. What do you want, Diana?" Rini looked over at her friend.  
  
"I think I will have some milk and an order of chicken tenders, please," Diana said in her high pitched voice.  
  
Terra smiled, "Certainly," she said, "I will be right back with that."  
  
**********  
  
"Hey! Rini!" Lita called over, waving at the small Princess. "Got room for two?"  
  
"Sure, Lita. Hey Mina!" Rini replied, scooting over in her seat to make room, Diana doing the same.  
  
"Hey Rini!" Mina said, walking over to sit next to Rini, Lita sitting next to Diana. "Hey Diana. I thought you weren't supposed to go in that form anymore since you tried to get a boyfriend?"  
  
Diana blushed. "Well, mother said that I could as long as I didn't try to that anymore. And besides, I don't think I fancy the way that boy touched me."  
  
"Yeah, that's how it always starts," Lita said, toying with a napkin, "Well, at least for most girls it does," she added, eyeing Mina.  
  
Feigning innocence, Mina said, "What?"  
  
Rini laughed. As did the rest of the group.  
  
**********  
  
"There you are," Terra said, placing the milk and shake on the table. "What can I get you two?" she asked to Mina and Lita.  
  
"I'll have a Coke," Lita said, "With a twist of lime if you have it."  
  
Terra looked at her oddly for a moment and then jotted the order down.  
  
"A twist of lime? Eww...That is so gross!"  
  
"Hey, don't rag on it until you've tried it!"  
  
"Ok, ok. Whatever," Mina let go, not wanting a confrontation. "I'll have a diet Sprite, hold the lime."  
  
Terra giggled, "Sure. I will be right back with that."  
  
She walked to the counter, but turned when she felt a pair of eyes on her back. Her brother was watching her, in a way that made her extremely uneasy.  
  
*********  
  
*Whoa. Babe alert!* Tobius thought, watching the slender beauty in the white apron move from table to table. *That blond she was talking to was not that bad either.* She turned back to him, her black hair moving to glimmer in the light, and looked at him, as if she had felt his stare. He went to wink at her, but she turned around quickly. *Oh well, better off with nothing to preoccupy me. Have to get this done today, while everything is going good.*  
  
Just then a very familiar voice was heard coming from the street just outside, and he looked to the front of the room to see a very clumsy blond trip and fall over a "Caution: Wet Floor" sign. His heart stopped, and he caught his breath. *She's here. After all this its up to now...* with these thoughts he stood up, ready to approach his mother.  
  
**********  
  
"Don't look now, but guess who just walked-excuse me. Did I say walked? I meant, tripped in." Mina said, looking behind Lita towards the front of the Crown.  
  
"Odango Atama!" Lita cried, moving to help Serena up from her perch on the floor.  
  
Her face flaming, Serena said, "Gomen, Lita. I didn't see the sign, I was looking for Darien. We were supposed to meet up, remember? Well, last time he had to cancel because he had a big meeting with that company his parents left him to run, so now we're gunna meet here. He should be here any minute- WHOA!"  
  
She fell again, this time over her own foot. *She must be nervous,* Lita thought, using her body to support Serena and prevent any further damage to the blond, *She normally isn't this bad. Maybe she's worried about Darien.*  
  
Lita walked Serena back to their booth, where they brought a chair over from a neighboring table. Lita gave up her seat to Serena and sat at the head of the table, talking with her friends.  
  
**********  
  
*How many friends to these girls have?* Terra thought as she dished out the two drinks to Lita and Mina. "Would you like anything?" she asked Serena, noting a vague familiarity about the girl.  
  
"Um, yeah. I would like a large Pepsi and a Strawberry shake. Two orders of fries, one of onion rings, and one of chicken tenders."  
  
:Blink: "Um, ok. Would that be all?"  
  
"Yeah. No. Yeah. Wait! I think I will have-" before she could finish her sentence, Mina interrupted.  
  
"No, that would be all, thank you. Hey, wait a second. You're the new girl right? Pardon our bad manners, we didn't inroduce ourselves. I'm Mina Aino. This is Serena Tsukino, her cousin Rini Chiba, Lita Kino, and Diana Maul. We come here all the time so you should be seeing us a lot. What's your name?" With a cordiality that was rarely used on a woman, Mina said all this.  
  
"I am Terra. But my real name is Septerra. I like Terra better, so I use it more often. Nice to meet all of you." Terra walked back to the counter, made Serena's drink, thinking of how wonderful most people in Tokyo were. She brought the drink back to the girls and Andrew walked in.  
  
"Hey, Terra!" he called, walking over to her.  
  
"Yes?" she asked, a little warily.  
  
"You can go home or whatever now. This was your preliminary shift, and it seems that you haven't let the place burn down as of yet, so you're on board. Be here Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays, two through eight. Somedays I will be here to work the counters with you, and other times Rei will. You will meet her later, she should be done at the Shrine any minute. (AN: Rei is going out with Andrew and she got a job at the Crown to be closer to him. This all took place in another fic of mine, but it is irrelevant in this one, other than them being together.) Ok, well I will be working the tables if you guys need anything. See you, Terra!" he walked off, slapping hands with some of the people he knew as he went off.  
  
"Ok, well, it was nice meeting you all. I will see you later!" Terra turned to go, but Serena called her back.  
  
"Won't you stay and join us? Drinks on Mina!"  
  
"Yeah, drinks on...MEATBALL HEAD! Hmm. For some reason because Rei's not here I feel as if I need to take her place and fight with Odango Atama. Oh well. Yeah, drinks on me. But only for Terra."  
  
The table laughed. Terra grabbed a chair, but Mina gave up her seat for her, so she sat next to Rini.  
  
"So, how old are you Terra?" Rini asked when everyone was sitting and situated.  
  
"I'm almost twenty. How about you?"  
  
"I'm fifteen. Diana is fifteen, too." Diana nodded her agreement, slurping her milk through a straw.  
  
"DARIEN!!" Serena screetched, jumping up from her seat and rushing to the door, almost taking the lives of passersby as she did so.  
  
"Well, clue her out of the conversation." Mina said, adjusting her Serena-trampled chair. "Please, some one get her back on the Prozac, my poor soul cannot take much more of this over-excited abuse."  
  
"We know what your going through Mina, it's ok." Lita patted her on the back.  
  
Terra, Rini and Diana laughed.  
  
**********  
  
Tobius sat back down. Now would definitely not be a good time of approach. She was surrounded by her court, and he didn't want any unnecessary confrontation. He would wait. Just then, he saw that pretty blond get up and leave the table. 'Maybe I should try to approach her,' he thought, 'I mean, it would be nice to have a date if everything pans out allright.'  
  
That thought in mind, he got up again, this time following the blond to the video games in the opposite side of the arcade.  
  
**********  
  
"I think I will go play the new Sailor V game," Mina said, a few minutes after all the excitement about Darien had died down. Well, more like when Serena had pooped out. Darien and Serena were talking with Andrew, Rini and Diana playing Space Shooters with Hotaru, who had come in after Darien with Michiru, Haruka and Setsunna. Terra was having a deep conversation with Lita about fighting techniques, and Mina was feeling very left out. "Since no one is listening, I guess I will go now." She stood up and walked over to the game, Lita murmuring "Yeah, ok, see ya," behind her.  
  
Digging in her pocket for some change, she came up with two quarters. She played what could have been the best round of her life, reaching a whole new high score for herself, and the game. After she had inserted her initials, she felt a presence behind her. Turning, she saw an ebon haired Prince. He was tall, lean, muscular, with a Roman sculpted face that only super models or movie stars possess. Wide shoulders, narrow waist, her favorite. Flashing him her best smile, she turned back to the game to finish the entering process.  
  
"Pretty good score there," he said, leaning a bit closer.  
  
"Yeah," she said, "It's not that bad. I could have done better." Lie! She told herself, but vanity was not bad in the eyes of a hottie. *Should I play coy or hard to get?* she asked herself. *Hmm...bashful and shy sounds good to me!*  
  
"Really? Wish I could. I don't play video games that much," Tobius said, watching the blond closely. She had turned, and he could see how pretty, more like beautiful, she was. Wearing a short micro-skirt that showed a lot of leg, and a tight fitting tank, not much was left to the imagination. "Do you come here often. I'm new to Tokyo myself. Adjusting to the places and locations, that's why I came here today." Good addition, he thought.  
  
"Well, I hope you like Tokyo so far," Mina said, batting her eyelashes delicately, biting her lip after the comment came out, as if she wasn't usually so forward with guys, "I've lived here for a long time, after London, and if you need any help getting around, me and my friends would be glad to help." There, she thought, not too forward, and not lacking. Just right.  
  
"Thank you for the offer, I shall remember it if at any time I am in need of some assistence. Would you like to get something to drink?" he asked, smiling genuinly at the blond beauty before him. There was something about her to him, something that attracted his attention in all ways.  
  
"Well," she said, glancing at her party, who had split into different groups and had completely ignored her, looking as if she didn't want to do anything without their agreement. "I guess I could get something to drink. Gomen; thank you very much."  
  
Mina started to walk away from the game consel, leading the way, when her foot caught on something and she tripped, headfirst, to the floor below. She tried to steady herself, by grabbing anything that she could, and the nearest thing happened to be Tobius. He came down with her to the floor, in a sprawl, and somehow managed to touch her in several desgraceful places. When the uproar had died down, and Mina and Tobius were both on their feet, Mina had words to say.  
  
"You sly, perverted, booty-grabbing, slime ball!" she yelled into his face, her eyes blazing, "You tripped me so you could look up my skirt! Then you fell too! And you touched me! You touched me!" she couldn't get anything else out. She walked away, her head high and back straight. As she walked over to meet Terra and Lita, she thought, *And I don't even know his name!*  
  
**********  
  
The fire shone brightly on Rei's face. She felt it's heat and was only comforted by its closeness. She had been doing a reading for more than an hour now, but nothing seemed to be working. She continued, concentrating harder, melding her spirit with the fire. She needed the fire for the strength it provided her and the solace it laced around her mind.  
  
She felt herself slip into a semi-conscious state, her body relaxing, her mind ready for what the Gods may reveal.  
  
***  
  
She was walking in a long corridor. Long tapestries were hung from the wall on each side of her, all in differing shades of blue and silver. The corridor itself had blue carpeting, so shagged one felt that they could lie down and sleep for days on it in comfort. The walls were a deep silver color, archways sprouting from the sides about every ten feet. Between everyone of these arcs about two or three tapestries were placed. Every twenty feet or so a portrait would appear. Depicting either women with funnily styled hair, different sigils on their forheads, or men with ebon hair and canes.  
  
Before her rose two doors made of the most pure diamond. The handles were comprised of gold, the doors themselves glittering and sparkling in the little light that filtered from the ceiling windows. She pushed on the door, forcing it open with the lightest touch.  
  
The room that glistened (AN: yes, glistened. The room was made from pure gold) before her was in perfect formation. There was a single tapestry in this room, straight ahead from the doorway. On either side of the door, a chair of a mahogany coloring was placed, a pillow of blue spun silk framed in braided golden yarn placed with care on each. A carefully spun rug decorated the floor, depicting battle scenes and coronations from past decades. Two large windows gave the room just enough light, one placed on the East side, the other on the West.  
  
Walking up to the large tapestry, Rei saw that a poem was written in a familiar, yet foreign script. She seemed to posses the power to read the writing, and began to transfer it to modern English:  
  
"To seek Earth's Death,  
  
With punishable price,  
  
Will call upon the Life,  
  
Who will pay for the strife;  
  
Yet, call upon the Life,  
  
For everlasting joy,  
  
Demolish the Death,  
  
For which love isn't meant;  
  
Or, Defeat with love  
  
The eternal Death,  
  
And cherish the Life,  
  
'Or a lifetime and hence.'  
  
Perplexed, she walked over to the East facing window, looking down from what was apparantly a grand tower. Below her, streaming from work station to work station, what appeared to be a million worker ants moved over the lands, restoring parts of the large castle that had been destroyed by some great power force. Walking over to the West facing window, Rei gasped at what she saw. A large ball, seemingly on fire, was hurtling towards the tower, and the castle.  
  
'They can't see it,' she thought, 'They can't see it coming because the castle is blocking their view. Surely they have someone posted on watch... but if they are all working over there, they may not notice until it's too late.'  
  
Running back to the West window, she pushed against it with all her weight, trying to get it to budge in any way. With no success, she picked up a valuable looking vase and threw it at the window.  
  
CRASH!!  
  
Glass shards flew out from the window, but also inward from the harsh winds produced by a roaring sea that she had not noticed before. She felt the glass sticking in her skin, slicing away at her flesh. She wanted to scream, but the thought of the oncoming ball of fire made her push forward.  
  
"GATHER YOUR FORCES!!" she yelled, in a voice and tongue that were both foreign to her. Her surprise was drowned by the severity of the situation. "A meteor approaches on the East side! Raise the power field! Save the Princess!" She didn't understand what she was saying, or why she was able to give orders, but it all left a sudden feeling of superiority within her. Rei had a distinct suspision that she was playing a major role in this vision, but she had no more control over what happened than an ant would against a raging river.  
  
Suddenly torrents of men appeared, rushing to the East side of the palace, placing small crystals on the ground every ten feet or so. From these crystals lanced different rays of energy, all of assorted coloring. They formed great arches of power, that began to take shape as a giant semi- circular sheild against the oncoming enemy.  
  
'The stones aren't working fast enough and those damned incompitent fools will never finish quickly,' Rei thought, hurrying back out into the long corridor. 'I have to protect the Princess myself.'  
  
She turned down another hallway, this one much smaller, and raced down a flight of circular stairs. At the foot of these stairs she dashed down another corridor. Before her loomed a brilliant archway. The door that led into the Princess' chambers was more magnificent and grand than the one Rei had entered earlier. She was no longer spellbound. There was a sense of duty and strength within her soul. She knew she could do whatever was needed of her, and succeed.  
  
Pushing throught the diamond sculpted doors, she charched into the Princess' chambers.  
  
"Rhea," Princess Satialina said, "What are you doing here? I thought you were going with Leigh to check on the Northern Tower."  
  
The Princess was seated on a plush silk couch, draped in a velvet dress with cold chorded trailings. The velvet was a dove white color, clashing with the deep purple of the setee. She looked as a Princess should, reading one of the old political scripts as she took her afternoon rest.  
  
"I was in the tower, Princess, but not with Leigh. She went to the Southern Tower to be sure Amiri and Milan were doing well. Michiru, Haruka, Setsunna and Hotaru have traveled to their respected outer planets. There is no more time for this delicate chit-chat, however, Princess. We must leave immediately."  
  
"Oh?" Princess Satialina asked, looking alert. "Why have the Outers left? Is there something wrong?"  
  
"The Outers left earlier to defend their planets from a barrage of warriors. Come, Princess, I will tell you of our own troubles on the way to the Main Deck." Rei/Rhea grabbed the Princess and urged her through the magnificent doors. She followed a new corridor, semi-tripped down another sweeping staircase, almost crashing into a wall in her haste.  
  
"What is happening in my Kingdom?" Satialina demanded, trying to stop Rhea's flee.  
  
"A meteor is on a crash course with the palace, and the Star. We must get to the Moon, immediately."  
  
A sob escaped Satialina's throat as she realized what Rhea's words meant. 'First duty to home and country,' she thought. 'I have to save my people.'  
  
No, Satia. We must leave, Rhea's voice suddenly appeared in her mind, able to hear whatever she thought.  
  
'I've told you before, Rhea, to stay out of my thoughts. It is imprudent to pry in someone else's mind, especially in that of a Princess.'  
  
'Pardon me if I forget myself in a crisis, Satia. You will not sacrifice yourself for anyone. Your country needs you to live, to continue the Legacy. No one will benefit from your death.'  
  
'You would. So would the other Senshi. My daughter would be your next Princess, your leader. My son would be an heir to the throne, and would rule in fairness and chivalry. Think about it...' They rounded a corner, then stopped.  
  
'Press your hand, Princess. We must get to the docks and the shuttles. I will get the others once you are safely away. Now please, there is no time. Press your hand to the plate.'  
  
Satia looked at Rhea, at the plate, then hugged her friend fiercely. "I call you, Mars, and your sisters, Jupiter, Venus, Mercury, to do my bidding!" A blinding white light filled the corridor.  
  
"NO!" Rhea screamed, but she had no power to undue what had all ready been sent into motion.  
  
"I will see you again, my friend. Watch my children, please..." after these words, everything went dark...  
  
***  
  
Rei awoke from the trance, sweat pouring down her front. 'What did it mean?' she thought, gathering herself together and preparing to go to Serena's house. 'Why would I see that? Who were those people?' a name came to her through the fog of questions. 'Setsunna... She was mentioned. And Haruka, Michirua nd Hotaru. What if...? I must see her immediately.'  
  
With a new plan, Rei set out to the apartment that the Outers had deemed their own.  
  
**********  
  
'This is good,' Apatran Medium thought as he hid behind a billboard on one of the tallest buildings around. 'I will watch the battle and then follow the Senshi. Perfect.'  
  
He reviewed his orders. Send his most powerful youma to attack Downtown Tokyo, wait for the Senshi to kill it, then follow them to get their identities, and/or hope for either of the Guardians to show up and stop the youma from wreaking destruction and chaos. He scratched his temple. It sounded like a suicide mission. Either for himself, or certainly for his youma.  
  
He lifted the small sphere of energy he had brought with him and whispered a few words ubove it in an obscene language. "Kill'ach dret-anti merteigt syus."  
  
The energy began to contort, morphing into something beyond comprehension. When the change was complete, Medium looked at what stood before him, nodding his agreement. It was like a panther, with thick blue fur covering its human like breasts and groin area. A furry bikini, if you will. It's skin was a grey-blue color, the hair on the top of its head arranged in a wild animal style, dressed in dark blue. It had sharp yellow, cat-like eyes and long yellow nails, sharp as freshly carved knives. It had high, buckle up black boots on, with golden buckles and small etchings decorating it, seemingly in a script long forgotton by man.  
  
"Go," Medium said, pointing to the central area of downtown Tokyo. "Destroy all that pleases you. Then destroy the Sailor Senshi when they come to defend their home. No mistakes shall be tolerated." 'That ought to get the job done.' He thought.  
  
"Yes, sire," the youma said, then jumped down from the tower. Medium smiled at the sounds of the screams heard from passerbys on the street.  
  
"Excellent."  
  
**********  
  
*BEEP BEEP BEEP*  
  
"What the...?" Lita looked down at her communicator, then gasped in surprise. "I will have to talk to you later, Terra. Bye!" She ran, bumping into Mina but grabbing her before she could say much, rushed to get the Outers then collected Ami, meeting up where Serena and Darien were talking; Andrew had vacated the area just a few minutes before. "Check...your...commu-...nicators..." She gasped out.  
  
Luna's head appeared in all of their watches, the small cat looking quite frantic. "Get downtown immediately! A youma has attacked!" The screen went to static, and then connection was lost.  
  
"Ok, guys! Let's go!" Lita said, her breathing back to normal.  
  
"Wait!" Serena said, motioning toward the back of the arcade. "We need to get Rini, Hotaru, and Diana. I'll be right behind you guys. Go ahead, we'll catch up."  
  
"Maybe one of us should stay behind with you..." Mina wondered aloud.  
  
"No!" Haruka said, pushing the blond towards the door. "Sere will be fine. She always is. And we need man power to defeat the enemy. Let's get going!"  
  
"Right!" they all said in unison. All the Senshi and Darien, excluding Serena, who walked back towards Rini, Diana, and Hotaru, and Rei, who wasn't with them, left the Arcade to fight the youma.  
  
**********  
  
*BEEP BEEP BEEP*  
  
Rei's communicator went off, startling her from her run. "Whoa..." she said, slowing down and flipping her communicator open. "What's up, Luna?"  
  
"What's up? There's a youma destroying downtown Tokyo as we know it and you say "what's up?" What's wrong with you child? Get your butt down here! NOW!"  
  
The link closed and Rei stared at the blank screen, a bit bewildered. "Somebody ate some rotten cat-nip today..." she murmered as she began to run towards an empty looking alley.  
  
"MARS," she intoned, holding up her transformaiton pen. "STAR," tiny motes of red energy could be seen appearing around her body, circling and clinging to her, "POWER!!" Her present dress dissapeared, and the energy clung to her nude form, turning into her Sailor fuku. She wore a white body suit with no sleeves that met with a red skirt. A red trim, much in the sailor type, etched the edges of the neckline of the suit; a red bow with trailings on her backside over the small of her back. A golden tiara dipped into a shining sapphire on her forehead. She wore a pair of red pumps on her feet.  
  
'It must be part of the magic,' Rei thought, not for the first time, 'I will never understand how any of us is able to where these death shoes and fight youma's and such at the same time. It's amazing, it is.' That thought past, she ran towards downtown Tokyo, ready to kill a youma.  
  
**********  
  
Mahalika stood in his chambers, looking into a swirling mass of energy concealed in a crystal sphere. If anyone happened by, they would be shocked at this mans appearance. He was the epitomy of the perfect man. He was smooth, soft around the edges. His hair was long, a golden blue color, if that was possible. A ribbon of pure white silk held a small portion of his hair, the rest falling under it. His eyes were a mystic blue color, sparkling in the darkest of places. He had stoic features; a Roman statue nose, firm, set lips that were soft as rose petals. His skin was like satin, conditioned and tanned, firm. He was muscular, but not to the extent that he provoked fear. If anything about him was fearsome, it would be his air of power. The space around him was charged with power and energy. He dominated whatever room he entered, and his meer presence demanded attention. He was too large a man to be confined, yet too small to seem to be too large. He was a contradiction to himself and those around him. In this, he was perfect, as being perfect is an imperfection in itself. (AN: confusing, ne?)  
  
"Aura," he said, his voice strong and quiet, forceful yet reserved. "Show me my wife."  
  
"Yes, sire." The voice seemed to come from everywhere and nowhere. The orb of smokelike energy contorted, morphed. It pulsed in a blueish green color as it formed into a semblance to a womans figure.  
  
"Ahh..." Mahalika said, pleasure and lust clouding his eyes, giving them an animalistic shine.  
  
The cloud sharpened, came into better focus. His wife could be seen clearly now. She wore a silver gown, the trim around it a gold colored satin. The lacings were loose and it seemed she was in the middle of changing. The lacings came down the front of her dress, stopping just below her naval. The armsleeves were billowing clouds of transparant silk, coming down to a V shaped gauntlet that was lined in gold. Her face was that of an angel. Her almond shaped eyes were a light brown color, with chips of silver within. Her nose was a gentle slope that buttoned the center of her face. Her lips soft, yet firm in place. Her eyebrows arched over her irises and curved gently downward. Loose tendrils of ebon hair drifted over her smooth forehead. Her hair was intertwined with white silk ribbons, braided in an exotic style.  
  
She began to loosen the lacings more, pulling them through the holes designed so delicately to be almost invisable. The upper body of the gown fell away, freeing Hanibelle's plump, rounded breasts. Mahalika groaned, moved forward, his arm outstretched, and tried to cup one of his wife's breasts. The vision dissapeared and the ball of circling energy was again seen, pulsing a deep orange color.  
  
"DAMN HER!" He roared, a blast of energy shooting out from his enraged body, sending the ball of energy into a wall, smashing it's crystal casing. The energy slipped through the wall, and the room was completely quiet.  
  
His face was no longer serene, the angelity of it lost. It was contorted in anger, lust, rage. He slammed his fist against the wall the energy had slipped through, causing a small crater to appear in it.  
  
A few clicking sounds could be heard coming from behind him and her turned, perplexed for a moment. Then he smiled, relaxed, and made a few clicking sounds himself, moving over to lay on his bed. Undoing the lacings of his pants, he pulled off his shirt. Just as this was done, a young girl entered the room. She wore little more than black panties and bra and a black translucent robe. She smiled and gingerly sat on his bed next to him, pulling his pants down farther. He grinned into her youthful face, noting her ageless beauty.  
  
A moan escaped his lips as she began her job, and her pulled her closer to him. It's her fault, he told himself. I wouldn't be in this position of stress if she would just let me have my bed with her. Oh well. This chic will do just fine for now. Just fine...  
  
**********  
  
"IIE!" Rini screeched as Serena neared them. "Only seven seconds left! I should have won! That asteroid came out of nowhere!"  
  
"Rini," Serena said, coming up behind the three, "There's a youma attacking. We must go."  
  
"Right," the three girls chorused, each with a nod. They followed Serena out the arcade, ran down an alley a little ways off, and climbed the fire escape of a tall building. Once on the roof, Serena lifted her transformation brooch and intoned, "Moon..." her outfit began to disappear as the morph took charge, "Cosmic..." tiny motes of energy began to wrap around her body, "Star... POWER!" Her hands rose above her head, making motions she could never seem to remember at any other time. Her hair lashed behind her, flowing madly yet gently, two circular cups forming over her odangos. Two dangling crescent moon earings appeared in her ears, golden and glinting. A white body suit with a blue necking as worn by sailors was fitted on her body, clinging snugly to her newly forming curved figure. It was sleeveless, and at the joint between her arm and shoulders were thin blue circular bubbles. A short blue skirt with light pink trim span around her waist, revealing a lot of leg. Her feet were decked out in tall blue boots that had a single red ruby at the upper portion of each's top.  
  
Ending her transformation with a single motion, she waited for the other girls to finish their transformation.  
  
"Midnight..." Rini, Diana and Hotaru started, "Star..." they all stood together, legs spread, hands moving around their bodies in different motions, "POWER!" a blinding light flared, and high energy levels could be detected easily. When the light pulsed away and Sailor Moon could see again, she saw the familiar sight of the Midnight Senshi standing before her.  
  
She recalled how they had found out of their tri-powers. Trinity, another cat from Mau, had come to Earth to awaken Diana, thinking the girl knew of her destiny. When she had discovered that none of the senshi or the other cats knew of what she was speaking, excluding Setsunna who was not allowed to say anything, she told them the story of the Midnight Senshi. Hotaru, Rini, and Diana had been the Midnight Senshi during the Silver Millenium. It was their job to guard the Energy Crystals of the Palace, and assist the other Senshi in protecting their own. Many of their powers could only be used when the sky was dark, so they became known as the Midnight Senshi, because they were mostly seen transformed at night. Because Trinity was speaking of the future and not the past, she explained that the Senshi were not expected to know of this, but it was thought they would know. (AN: this is another of my fics, but its not important here. You need not worry about it!) Hotaru had been awakened in a dream, and Setsunna had helped Rini through her awakening. It had worked out in the end, but it was still on Serena's mind.  
  
Rini was wearing a white body suit, trimmed in dark red. Her eyes were a darker shade of ruby than was usual. Her feet were fitted snugly in a pair of dark red low heeled pumps. The silver tiara she wore bore a single flaming ruby in it. She held in her hands a small quarter staff, that held a glittering ruby spear at its tip. It's body was a soft silver color, and around it's halfway point a crescent moon sigil was placed in glowing gold.  
  
Hotaru also had on a white body suit, but it was trimmed out in black. Her eyes were ebon in the warm glow of the sun. She wore high heeled black boots. She also wore a silver tiara, but with an onyx embeded in it. Hotaru also had a weapon. She held a glaive, much like her Silence Glaive, but it was of a different making. The body of the staff was also a soft color, a black scythe blade jutting from its tip. A black pulsing crescent moon sigil was placed on it.  
  
Diana had on a white body suit, with midnight blue trim. Her eyes flashed dangerously, their deep blue color magnetic and steely. She had on medium sized midnight blue boots. Her tiara bore a single deep blue jewel that seemed to glitter with no light at all. Diana's staff held no objects on either of its ends. It was a plain silver-blue staff with a white pulsing crescent moon sigil on it. She held it in a protective stance.  
  
"This one is stronger..." Midnight Moon, or Rini, said. Sailor Midnight Star and Sailor Midnight gave one nod each.  
  
"Closer to their destination. Their force is growing. Leaving us with less time..." this time it was Midnight Star, or Diana, who spoke.  
  
"They want us scared. They want to win. They can taste the victory. They want... something. Some new power source they believe we posses. Some power sourece we do posses..." Midnight's eyes had been closed, consentrating. They opened suddenly, and she looked at her "sisters" in wonder. They all seemed to understand whatever she meant, and they all looked at Sailor Moon, who was slightly perplexed by the conversation. She thought again of how they had all changed when they learned of their destiny. They had become more secretive, more mature, and definitely more in tune with their surroundings. They seemed like Setsunna. They knew things before others, and they talked about things with each other. Sailor Moon was beginning to get angry with them.  
  
"We should go now," she said, knowing it was the truth. "The other's are waiting for us."  
  
The girls nodded and they began their ascent to the fight, jumping from roof to roof. Sailor Moon was glad she had taken the time to practice with Tux. It was much quicker to jump than to run.  
  
**********  
  
They had all transformed in the alley behind the Arcade. Jupiter was now running in the lead, Uranus close behind. They could all feel the energy coming from ahead. It was getting stronger. Lita wasn't sure if the energy was increasing because they were getting closer, or if it was just mounting as whatever was causing destruction grew stronger. She was apprehensive, but her pulse was racing in excitement. She was anxious. She wanted to be there, to fight. To win. To declare she had defeated whatever type youma was ahead and waiting. Waiting for her. For her challenge.  
  
Her thoughts went back to the present, and her senses combined in a melee of different calculations. With her were six other Senshi, Tuxedo Mask included; Sailor Moon, the Midnight Senshi, and possibly Sailor Mars would meet them ahead. It would be a good battle. She could feel it. If she had known what would come in result of this battle, she might not have been so excited. In fact, she may have just let down town Tokyo be drestroyed that day.  
  
**********  
  
Mars was getting a large power reading. She had to be right on top of the youma. She looked down on her next jump and, sure enough, saw the destruction. She gasped. There was more damage done than she had ever seen. Large holes had been blasted into the sides of buildings, the metal and concrete melted from the heat of the power and the friction. Mars was in awe. There had to have been an aweful lot of power used to do this type of damage. The bodies of innocent's were strewn about the street, their carcases charred, dismembered, trampled. A fool would have sensed the danger this scene projected.  
  
That was when she heard it. A high pitched roaring. It was deep and resonant, yet high and squeeling at the same time. A cross between a very large kitten's meow and a lion's roar. It pulled her heart into her throat, and she was suddenly very scared. She braced herself. She was Sailor Mars! Avatar of the might Ares, God of War! This was her calling, what she was meant for.  
  
Jumping once more she saw her adversary, and her new found confidence wavered. It was a tall, lean youma, larger than most they had yet faced. It was muscular, definitely, even though it appeared to be female. Mars was reminded of a female body builder she had seen in a magazine and a girl she had seen on the cover of a some Tenshi manga. It had wild hair of a dark blue color, untamed and all over manly. It was clad except for two pieces/places where hair grew of shaggy dark blue hair. 'Mina-chan,' Mars thought, recalling the past, a grin separating her fears, 'It's the furry underwear you bought!' She giggled. Big mistake.  
  
The youma apparantly didn't take too kindly to people who giggled around it, and it obviously didn't like any of the Senshi much. Another earsplitting screech came from it, but it seemed to come from the beasts entire body, not just it's mouth and vocal chords. It's claws were outstretched, raised to the sky, legs spread, head tilted back. It was a pulse, an energy wave. The buildings in it's path bowed, shattered.  
  
Mars screamed. She couldn't hear her voice, could only hear the tearing, the screams of others, victims on the street. Her skin was leaving her body. She could feel it, slicing away, waving goodbye as it flapped on the energy wave away from her. She was dead, she was dying. Not like this, not like this... Nothing had happened, ten seconds into battle. Never this strong, never before... Never... Yes. Once. Once...  
  
**********  
  
"... Where am I?"  
  
You're safe. How do you feel?  
  
"Who are you? Where am I?"  
  
All will be answered in time. Tell me, how do you feel?  
  
"I'm dead..."  
  
No. You are very much alive. Who are you?  
  
"I am... I am... Who...?"  
  
...Look...  
  
"I... I am... I am Rhea Haerk. Princess of the Deep Planet Mars. Member of her Highness' Court. Protector of the Ruby Spiral Scepter. Guardian of Satialina, Queen of the Silver Star, Princess of the Moon, betrothed of his Highness Edward, King of the Golden Star, Prince of Earth. I am Sailor Mars. Protector of good, destroyer of evil."  
  
Yes. You know. Look within yourself. All shall be revealed...  
  
"Who are you?"  
  
I am you. I am what guides you, what helps you. I am what leads you in the right direction, and occaisionaly pushes you off course. I test your resiliance, your power, your ability. I am you. I am everything.  
  
"I do not understand..."  
  
You are not meant to understand, avatar of Mars. You are here to expirience what you have forgotten again. Remember. Remember, then you will understand... Remember.....  
  
**********  
  
The doors were closed. Rhea was locked in. No problem. She was used to getting out. It was getting away that was hard. Well, not getting away. Getting back to where she was. Nephrael was waiting for her. Morely for his bride-to-be, but Fate works in mysterious ways. She had been chosen to escort the groom. She was now climbing over an impossible gate, and it was her life on the line. Oh well. It was for Leigh, so it was worth it. Even if she did die. Rhea laughed bitterly at the thought. She had died before. Nothing new there.  
  
There weren't that many guards on the corridor. She thought about the safety precautions taken on the Silver Star. She would be dead if she were trying to escape from there. Of course, usually the Senshi protected the prisoners. The Golden Star had no Senshi. That was strange. Have to think about it more later. When there's time.  
  
She would think about her mission now. It was the end of her Year, or the single year provided to each Senshi where they would take on double duties and extra tasks, proving themselves and their abilities. Satia had been first, then Amiri, then Rhea. Leigh was next, and finally Milan. The Outers would complete their Years on their own planets. They were not required to come to the Star or the Moon for their Years. 'Lucky Senshi,' Rhea thought.  
  
Leigh was anxious to begin her Year. She wanted to start a family, and she wanted to prove herself more than anything. 'You will have your chance, Leigh,' Rhea thought, climbing some stairs she hadn't noticed before. Leigh would either have to be married before or after her Year, abiding by the Ancient Texts, which no one could not do, and Satia had permited Leigh to be wed on her coronation day. That was fine with everyone. There would be the usual ball afterwards, but with more pizazz because of the special circumstances. Rhea couldn't wait for the night to begin.  
  
Naphrael couldn't be seen with Leigh, though. At least not on the Golden Star, his home. That would be considered a legal treason, and he could be prosecuted for it. Ever since the Silver Wars, where the two Stars had fought countless battles for power for over three hundered years, the two Kingdoms had been on bad terms. Naphrael would surely be killed if it was known he was to marry a girl from the enemy Star. Especially a Senshi of that Star, who had killed countless numbers of men in the heat of battle. So Rhea had to risk her life to escort Naphrael back to the Silver Star so he could be married to one of her best friends. 'You'd think,' she thought, turning onto Nappy's corridor, 'Because their Prince and our Princess are to be wed also, they might throw down the social barriers. But no! They had to increase all offenses against us. What immature fools!'  
  
She paused in her step. Thinking. She had been caught at his room once, wouldn't they anticipate some sort of assassination call? She dashed behind a loose tapestry just as a pair of green clad warriors walked past, talking in whispers, stopping in front of Naphraels doors. 'Thank the Gods for last regretts,' she thought, sliding her body away from the door and into a dead end hallway. A window was placed at the end of the corridor, and she walked to it. Opening it, she slid her slender body through the gaping hole it provided and eased herself out onto a strong awning. 'Good thing these people aren't too smart. Back home I'd be dead already. And surely we have no such support mechanisms jutting from our palace! We'd be wide open for an attack!'  
  
Rhea could see Naphrael's balcony. With a few quick calculations, she took a running step and jumped onto the beam of his balcony. Edging herself to his glass doors carefully, she opened one of the them and poked her head in. She didn't want to frighten Naphrael. If caught off guard he would either try to kill her or scream, and the guards would come and she would be killed or placed back in the "cell".  
  
It was then that she heard it. When her head was full of thoughts that seemed so insignificant when compared to what she might be faced with. Moans could be heard from the clouded bed that marked the center of the room. The silk sheets that fell over it could only disturbe the bodies that were coming together behind them, and Rhea felt a coldness go through her at the sight. She could kill him!  
  
Then something else caught her attention. She wasn't the only one in the room. Another man was in the room. He was dressed in all black, his long hair thick and ebon, cascading down his back. His eyes flashed with malignant pleasure at the sight before him. He didn't seem to notice Rhea there at all. Until she moved towards the bed.  
  
Stop was all she heard, but in such a way that she knew only she was able to hear it. He was in her head.  
  
Why? she answered back, and she could tell he was surprised. Very few people were alive in the universe that could speak telepathically, and the number was dwindling. Almost anyone could hear a telepath speaking to them, but only about ten to fifteen could answer back. Not good odds for the telepaths. So when one telepath meets another, it is a unique occasion.  
  
Why not? he answered back, his eyes laughing and lustful, watching the curves in her body.  
  
Do you toy with me, Sir? I am in no time. Lust is not a strong point, but a downfall. Let me be, and be on your way.  
  
He laughed. You are strong, woman. But you do not see the beauty in what I have done here. I have just created what may very well decide the future of life as we know it. Stand back, woman. You do not know what you are messing with.  
  
The door was still open. She hadn't closed it. A slight breeze blew in and ruffled one of the silk coverings, and Rhea gasped. It was not Naphrael in the bed, but Edward! And with him, on top of him, the lowly slut, was Setsunna! They were entwined, one, in a way that only lovers should be together. Rhea could have died. She could have killed. She wanted to. More than anything.  
  
You cannot harm them. If it is any consolation, they are not together by will. I have forced this upon them. And they shall not remember it once it is finished. Although, I'm sure she will be curious later. Very curious...  
  
What are you babbling about, Sir? Rhea asked, the heat rising in her. He had done this? Caused her best friends lover to know another? She could kill him...  
  
You wouldn't get that far, woman. Though I am sure you could if you knew what you were capable of. I am not babbling, but speaking of things you should not yet know about. Naphrael is waiting for you by the lower water fountain. Go to him. He is eager to leave. Forget what you have seen here, and I shall spare your life for now.  
  
Rhea didn't know what to do. She wanted to kill someone, rip apart this dark figure before her, stab Edward, burn the bitch on a stake. Something! Not walk away!  
  
But she did. She turned, jumped from the balcony to the next, and the next, and the next. Her head hurt, she couldn't think. It was hard to breath.  
  
There was Naphrael, where the black one had said he would be. He looked up when he saw her, his face lighting up with happiness and expectation. "Ready?" he asked, looping his arm through hers.  
  
She nodded, trying to act as if everything was fine, and nothing had happened. "I'm ready."  
  
"Good!" he said, "Cause I am about to die of anxiety!"  
  
She laughed. It sounded hallow to her, but it pleased Naphrael.  
  
'Mars give me the strength,' she thought, praying silently to herself. 'Please, help me through this...'  
  
***  
  
Three months had passed. Rhea had just gotten her daily letters from one of the servant girls. It had been a busy time for her. Tomorrow would be the day of the Silver Palace Ball. Rhea couldn't wait. She would meet this young man Satia had been telling her about. But first things first. She had to go to the East Wing, the Ballroom and the Entrance Hall. In making preparations, she was very busy. Now, everything should be done, and she had to make last adjustments, critiquing every room, nook, and cranny.  
  
She left the room, remembering her earlier conversation with Leigh. To prepare for the ball, Leigh would go with Milan over to the Northern Tower. She had a selection of green/emerald dresses there to sort through. She needed three; a cocktail dress, a dinner dress, and a nice frock for dancing. Poor Leigh never really liked to get dressed up. Amiri was in the Southern Tower, governing the creation of her own deep blue gowns. Rhea had had hers made the day before, as had Milan and Satia.  
  
Rhea lifted one of the letters from her pocket. It looked like it was from one of the other Planet's house. It was from Pluto, she deducted upon closer examination. She opened the letter. It was from Setsunna. She hadn't heard from Setsunna since the last Core meeting. The Core was a group of the most substantial persons from each Planet House. Rhea was her House Core Member, and proud of it. She had worked hard to get there, and she had been chosen in her twentieth year to start training in the ways of the Core. She began to read:  
  
Dear Rhea,  
  
I find I only seem to have time to talk to anyone from the Core when the time is most inopertune. I have a predicament, one that cannot be hidden or disregarded. I am not asking you for help, only letting you know the reason for my sudden disappearance from Alliance activities and Core discussions. I am with child. How, I do not know. You know more than anyone that I have been with no man for years now. I have Milan to thank for that, but now I do not know what to do. Could I have taken a man in a lustful dredge? What have I done, Rhea? I was tested by a trustworthy physician here on Pluto, and I discovered that I am to have twins. Not just one child, but two. I am no fit mother, for my job is my life. There is no way for me to rid myself of these two without causing harm to myself, and they are innocent. Not worthy of death. What am I to do? I seek your advice, friend. I am at a loss.  
  
Sincerely,  
  
1.1 Setsunna,  
  
1.2 Princess of Pluto,  
  
1.3 Official Core Member  
  
Rhea dropped the letter. She was stunned. She turned to go back to her office room. No. She had a job to do. She had to keep up appearances so no one would suspect anything. She could help Setsunna later. But what would she tell her?  
  
**********  
  
  
  
2 Mina felt a pull behind her heart. It hurt, but it didn't stop her from her furious pace. 'What was that?' she thought. Looking over at Mercury, she saw the confusion and calculating shock on her friends face. 'She felt it too. What was that?'  
  
Ahead of her she saw Neptune and Pluto stop.  
  
"NO!" she heard someone ahead of her say, then figured it was Uranus. 'What's happened?' she asked herself. She stopped her run, and felt Tux stop next to her. Merc had congregated with Neptune and Pluto and they were talking fiercely.  
  
"It couldn't have been Sailor Moon. We felt her transform, and the Midnights also. They would protect her. Nothing could have happened to her! We would have been able to feel her pass us, and we haven't."  
  
Everyone walked over to the group. Venus didn't understand all that they were saying, but she pieced it together.  
  
"I felt Mars transform," Jupiter said, coming up. "She was ahead of us. I felt her get closer, then she stopped, and the energy flared. That's when I felt the pull. Is it true?" She looked to Pluto for answers. They all did.  
  
"I do not know. I felt what you say you felt, but also something different. I believe Mars crossed into a different dimension. But I am not certain. I would have to travel through time to find the answers you want."  
  
"Can you do it?" Venus found herself asking. She wanted to know what happened, and if her friend was all right. She felt close to tears.  
  
Pluto nodded. "I can."  
  
Neptune sighed, "I will prepare for your return with a healing stone. I know you will need it."  
  
Pluto nodded again. "Thank you," was all she said. She lifted her staff and balanced it on her left hand. It began to spin, slowly at first, then picking up speed. It began to form a large circle of energy, and the circle fell over her body. A bright white flash flared before the group, and when it pulsed down, Pluto was gone.  
  
"We have to wait now," Uranus said, scowling. "Wait to find out what is going on."  
  
And so they did.  
  
**********  
  
Sailor Moon stopped on a roof. She could feel the energy wave, and knew it was coming towards them. "DOWN!" she yelled, and the Midnights threw their bodies to the roof. The wave was hot. It scorched the tips of her skirt, burning the backs of her legs, singing her hair.  
  
It passed rather quickly, moving upward towards the sky. Sailor Moon stood up carefully. She couldn't feel anything now, but there was something wrong. She looked back at her daughter. She was ok, as were her companions. Good. She began to move again.  
  
They came upon a city street. Well, what was once a city street. Now it was only a jagged lane of rubble. Steaming bodies were strewn all around the street, lampposts fallen, cars smashed into store front windows, their drivers falling out of partially opened doors, smashed into the dashboards and windshields. A sob escaped her throat. She was aware of an unnatural stillness, a windy silence. It unnerved her greatly.  
  
A beast came from behind one of the buildings. Moving swiftly in it's great size, it startled Sailor Moon, and she jumped back.  
  
It was gray (AN: grey vs. gray here. Which do you use?) in eminence, with shaggy blue hair covering unnatural places. Wild hair, sharp yellow eyes with even sharper yellow claws. A punched in face, smashed in nose. Sharp silver teeth. Whipping razor tail. It frightened her, but she steeled her reserve. She needed to have all her senses cued in on defeating this monster. And she would. She always did.  
  
The Midnights moved in front of her, each with their respective weapons bared across their bodies. They were protecting her. This made Sailor Moon worry. They understood things. They could feel things. Things the average Senshi couldn't. This youma was strong, stronger than the rest and she now knew it. She began to wonder how strong she really was.  
  
"Midnight..." Hotaru started, apparantly forgetting about introductions. The element of surprise was her strong point. "Death..." she twirled her Midnight Scythe above her head, holding it still before her. "SLASH!" she yelled, completing the attack. She leaped from the building, high into the air, the scythe above her head, and landed with a downward slash on front of the youma. The youma let out a piercing cry, and it's arm fell limp to the ground. Sailor Moon jumped down from the building, landing closely behind Midnight. She heard the other two Midnights land next to her.  
  
Star held up her hands, her staff held in her right. "Midnight..." she intoned, holding her staff before her, now in both hands. "Star..." tiny pearls of energy began to form around the staff and her body, embodied in a cloud of pale yellow energy. "Fire..." the energy began to lick the air, crackling, turning deep orange, then flaming red. "STORM!" she called, pointing her staff at the youma, the red energy/fire hitting it squarely. The youma screeched, but the sound was drowned by the sound of a lightning bolt crashing down on it.  
  
Sailor Midnight Moon was standing, legs spread, behind the youma, her spear pointed downward, sticking in the ground. Her shoulders rose and fell sharply. The lightning bolt had taken a lot out of her, and she was out of breath.  
  
The now smoking, armless, and severely burned youma was still standing, and seriously angry. "RAZOR TAIL!" the youma shouted, and it's whip like tail shot out at Midnight Moon. Just as the tail was a foot from Moon's body, it split into countless shards of a glass like substance, slicing cleanly through Moon's skin.  
  
"NO!" Sailor Moon screamed as her daughter took the attack head on. Moon's body fell limply to the ground.  
  
"Cinder SHOT!" The youma roared, lifting it's palms before it, fire gathering around them. It's nails elongated, then left their positions, wrapped in the fire energy, and shot at Midnight.  
  
Sailor Moon ran to get the attack before Midnight did, but she was too late. Hotaru took the attack, just as Moon had, with only a little time to bring her Scythe before her. No help, though. She fell to the ground, her eyes open, still conscious, but in so much pain.  
  
The youma lifted it's stubbed arm in the air. "Thunder..." it intoned, obviously not fazed by the girls attacks. A swirling orb of cackling bright yellow energy appeared above it's head. It moved it's nub in circular motions. Had it been any other time, Sailor Moon would have giggled from the humor of the sight. But she sensed danger, and she began to charge her own attack.  
  
"Moon..." She began, lifting a thin, short staff from her Lunar Space Pocket. It was metalic, approximately the size of a transformation rod, and at it's end was a crescent moon, circled by a pale pink ring of metal. "Crystal..." Sharp blades of energy sprouted from the crescent on her wand, forming like double ended spears, pointing towards the youma, ready to attack.  
  
"CRASH!" the youma shouted, and Sailor Moon was startled. She thought it would take more time for the youma to finish charging it's attack. The ball of energy above it's head moved forward from him a little, then closed in on itself. She watched the place where the energy had disappeared warily. Something wasn't right.  
  
Midnight Star stood in front of Sailor Moon, lifting her spear in front of her. "Sheild." She said. A pearly white force-field formed around her and Sailor Moon. Sailor Moon didn't see the point in this. It seemed the youma's attack hadn't worked. And her own attack was still partially charged. She let her attack drop. But then she remembered. The Midnights knew things. Things others didn't know until later. She braced herself. Just in time.  
  
"EXPLOSION!" the youma roared. It was the element of surprise. Then she felt it. It was tearing. Seething. Slicing through her. Midnight Star's shield was working, but the youma's attack was still strong. Sailor Moon thought about throwing her body to the ground, but decided to help Sailor Midnight Star. She let her energy flow from her, and felt her natural defenses go down. The heat tore at her more strongly, or she felt it more acutely. Whichever way, it hurt. She gritted her teeth, touched the inner side of the shield, added her energy to it, the shield strengthening. The pain decreased. The heated energy began to slide over the shield, around it.  
  
Sailor Moon sighed, adding still more energy to the shield. In two seconds the energy stopped flowing, the waves had passed. Midnight Star dropped her weapon and Sailor Moon stopped adding energy. The youma panted, and Sailor Moon would have sworn its nub wasn't quite so nub-like anymore. In fact, she was sure it was growing. "Moon..." she intoned, picking up where she had left off. She again pulled out her wand, holding it above her head and moving in acrobatic circles. "Crystal..." The crystals appeared again, shining and sharp. They glinted, moved, pointed at the youma, which was holding it's arms before it. "DESTRUCTION!" Sailor Moon yelled, bringing down her wand, pointed at the youma. The crystals shot at it, piercing it's skin. Behind her, Sailor Moon was slightly aware that other voices were ringing out also.  
  
"Midnight Star Fire STORM!"  
  
"Midnight Moon Thunder DANCE!"  
  
"Midnight Ice DESOLATION!"  
  
Bright pearls of fire lit energy passed her and hit the youma in the chest, followed by sharp blades of ice and water energy. Two cracks of thunder came from behind her and a lightning bolt hit the youma square. More voices were heard from behind her, mixed with the screams of the slowly dying youma.  
  
"Uranus World SHAKING!"  
  
"Neptune Deep SUBMERGE!"  
  
"Pluto Deadly SCREAM!"  
  
"Venus Meteor SHOWER!"  
  
"Jupiter Oak REVOLUTION!"  
  
"Shine Aqua ILLUSION!"  
  
Three planet shaped balls of energy shot at the youma, followed by countless balls of energy, yello, light green and deep blue. Finally a bushel of roses flashed past her. All of this hit the youma, and with a piercing cry it's body split in two, green gook shooting everywhere, then disappeared, faded into oblivion.  
  
Sailor Moon looked behind her. There were her friends, her family, some bleeding, hurt. All except the Midnights, Uranus, Pluto and Tuxedo Mask were crying. Sailor Moon sighed. 'What now?'  
  
**********  
  
"Where am I?" Rei asked the black dressed person before her. "Who are you?"  
  
"I am Benign. Or what is left of him. You are in a designated area created by powerful allies. A new dimension, say."  
  
"You are that man. That man from my... vision."  
  
"I am the man from your future. From your past. You do not remember. I did not expect you to. I once loved you deeply. And, as much you do not wish to believe it now, you loved me just as much. But I am letting you know about what has happened, what is to come."  
  
Rei scoffed. "Love is a strong word, Benign," she said his name like it was poison on her tongue. "And such a creature as yourself I could never love."  
  
Benign smiled. "Never in my true form could you love me, but in one that was more appealing to you. Yes, you loved me very much." He snapped his fingers and his black attire dissappeared. He was completely naked, yet blocked from Rei's view by a bright white energy. When the light died down and Rei's eyes adjusted to the darkness, she sucked in her breath at the sight before her. She remembered this man. She felt something for him that was unnatural to her. Something that made her heart quicken, a sudden buttery feeling weakening her knees. She reached out to him, not knowing why, but at the same time knowing it was the only thing right.  
  
She recoiled quickly, though. Her mind recalled what she had just seen, and her soul gave out a terrible cry. Her body wracked with tears she didn't know needed to be shed. She couldn't remember, but her body could. Her soul could. This man had lied to her, cheated her of love. Of life. Yes. She could remember now. She had died for him. For him. Her eyes blazed with hatred as she glared at him.  
  
Something about this man was softer than the one she had just seen. He seemed genuinely hurt, beaten, by her sudden anger. Her hate. Against her will, or maybe completely obeying it, her eyes softened a bit, and she felt herself relaxing in this mans company.  
  
"My name is Jedeil Kathal. Prince of the Blue Star. Son of his Highness Bernard, King of the Blue Star, husband of her Highness Kristina, Queen of the Blue Star, Princess of the White Kingdom. Betrothed of Lady Rhea Haerk, Princess of the Deep Planet Mars."  
  
Rei shook her head, all the memories coming back. The five months they had spent together. The wonderful five months. The nights, magical nights. Her happiness, her love. Her child... Her child! She was with child when she died! He didn't know... he didn't know... "You didn't know..." she muttered, looking away. She remember everything now. Their meeting at the ball for Leigh's beginning her Year. Falling in love with him in only one night. Bedding him the next. Discovering her pregnancy the same day her home was destroyed and her Princess died.  
  
Rei began to cry. Tears from a thousand years of harsh, unknown realities. From a love forgotten, a love so pure. From wonderful days, and passionate nights. It all came back. So clearly. Too clearly...  
  
***  
  
"Rhea, I'd like you to meet Jedeil Kathal. He is the next in line for the throne of the Blue Star, a Prince of the White Kingdom," Princess Satialina watched as Rhea shook hands with a slightly surprised Jedeil. She was aware of Rhea's odd behavior. She was more business than lady, and Satia was proud of her, no matter how she acted. She enjoyed viewing Rhea's individuality. The seriousness she put into everyday things.  
  
She also liked Jedeil. His liking of things that were out of the ordinary. His love of life, and the business that came with it. Satia was sure Jalil and Rhea would make a perfect couple. Feeling much like the accomplished matchmaker, she left the two by themselves, walking over to visit with the Queen of the Blue Star herself. 'Very fine woman,' Satia thought, hugging the woman warmly, 'Very refined with dignity. Wonderful personality and sense of humor. She would love Rhea as a daughter-in-law...'  
  
***  
  
"So, how do you like the Silver Star?" Rhea asked Jedeil. They were dancing now to a White Kingdom Waltz. It was one of her favorites, and she was dancing her best.  
  
"I love it here," Jedeil responded in complete honesty. "The ocean especially. We do not have the luxiary of having one back home. But we have the best forests you will ever see! Especially when the weather is colder. Frost lines the tree tops, dew clinging to the grass... The air is so fresh you can taste the cleanliness of it. 'In airs as wond'rous as these, where your lips brush mine...'"  
  
Rhea joined him in the quote. "'I know I am truly home, In the warmth of your arms, where we are untouchable, beneath the sea of stars, above the mountains peaks, where the lapping waters bid us farwell, and the Heavens open up in welcoming..'" Rhea stopped, looking at Jediel in wonder, "I thought I was the only person in the galaxy who knew that by heart." Rhea said, gazing with new eyes at an astonished Jedeil.  
  
"I did, also," Jedeil slowed his waltz in thought, "Tell me, do you know any more by Kritz? I am quite fond of him, but I enjoy Rosenthrall more."  
  
"Of course I know more by Kritz. I know his complete collections. And I love Rosenthrall! Where have you been hiding? Under a rock?" Rhea asked, playfully jabbing Jedeil in his arm, twirling in the seemingly never-ending waltz. She wanted time to sit and talk to this intriguing man.  
  
"Well, Rhea," Jediel said, pretending to rub his sore arm, somehow still managing to keep up with the waltz, "If I had known someone as interesting as you were here, I would have crawled out from under my rock and grabbed you as soon as I could." He smiled, as if playing, but Rhea noted a seriousness behind his deep green eyes. It unerved her the emotions this man stirred within her. She blushed under his scrutiny.  
  
"I'm sure you would have waited. Here you are, flattering me to death. Tell me, what is the Blue Star like? I only heard from you about it in the Winter. I would love to hear more." Rhea dodged the topic she didn't want to discuss with ease.  
  
"Ah... My favorite topic. Like I said, we have no oceans there. Only ongoing wilderness. But the mountains are a wonderous sight, their peaks always dusted in cottony snow, their bodies spreading the expanse of the horizon, blocking all else from view. And sunrise is astonishing. Breathtaking, really. The clouds painted a silvery red, pale pink lining the sky. The mountains are a hazzy blue in the fog of morning, the nights wetness clinging to the air around you. You can smell the grass, the dirt. It's amazing. I'd like you to see it.  
  
"Sunset is even better, though. The sun's last rays slashing across the sky, cutting through the darkness in a final good bye. The wind whispering in your ears, bringing the last chirps of the finches with them. The trees swinging in rhythm to the nights song..." He closed his eyes as the waltz ended.  
  
Rhea was spellbound by Jedeil's descriptions. He was absolutely poetic. He led her over to an empty table, close to the veranda doors, yet for the most part secluded from all that was going on around them.  
  
"What about you?" he asked, sitting down across from her on the small table. She had known him for about two hours, but she wanted to spend as much time with him as possible. She felt like she could talk to him about anything. Anything and everything. And she wanted to. "How is life here on the Silver Star?" He smiled, and she melted in his company.  
  
"I love it here. The ocean air, the cool breezes that carry the sound of the lapping waves to my room at night." Rhea closed her eyes, imagining all that she loved about her home, "The moon is the best part of it all. It cast's it's silvery reflection upon the surface of the almost still waters late at night, when everyone is asleep. I like to sit on my balcony, listening to the waves crash, a song all their own. The moon wraps it's beams around me, carries me off to a whole new place. It's a blanket. The gulls cry in the light, the night forcing them from their perches on the harbor board walk.  
  
"The sky in it's blackened glory, lit with the brilliant stars of the universe, each clinging to its position in time and space." Rhea opened her eyes and smiled apologetically at Jediel's grinning face.  
  
"I'm sorry," she said, fingering the laces of her deep red velvet frock. "I didn't mean to babble and go on like that."  
  
"Oh, no!" Jedeil said, grabbing her hand into his own. It was a warm protective pocket around her own, and Rhea liked the feeling she got from the motion immensely. "I enjoyed listening to you. Your voice is soothing, calming. It's amazing. I haven't known you that long, but I feel like I could share the world and more with you..."  
  
Rhea blushed. "I feel exactly the same, Jeddy."  
  
Jediel grinned again, but with humor this time. "Jeddy, eh?" Rhea's blush deepened. She hadn't realized she had said that. It was a neat nickname and it had been plaguing her since the moment she met him. "I like it."  
  
Rhea blushed. "Well, I'm glad you do." She looked at his face. Observing him as he did her. 'He has the most beautiful eyes I have ever seen...'  
  
Why thank you. Your's are not that bad either. Rhea gasped at the voice in her head. 'How?' she thought. She was reminded of the black clad figure she had met at Setsunna's conception... She forced the image away. With Jeddy in her head, she had to be careful what she thought about.  
  
I didn't know you were telepathic, she said, noting how his grin turned into a gape of surprise and respect. It took years of strenuous training for anyone with a possible future in telepathics to develop their talents to use and perfection. Rhea knew that, and Jedeil did also. But now we have another way to talk to eachother. She smiled, and Jeddy returned it with more light.  
  
Well, you're just full of surprises. You intrigue me, Princess. I must say that I am humbly taken with you.  
  
That would make two of us, Jeddy. And please, call me Rhea. Rhea rubbed her thumb over Jeddy's knuckles, smiling softly to herself as he did the same to her other hand.  
  
Whatever you say, Princess...  
  
Rhea laughed. Her eyes glittered in the candle light from the chandelier above, her hair catching the light in gentle waves down her back. Her stays were tight, and she was held slimly and securely in her frock. Jeddy wanted to hold her in his arms, place his hands on her slim waist and kiss her gently.  
  
Rhea picked up the image and blushed so deeply she resembled one of the reddest roses from the palace gardens. Jeddy saw her blush and blushed himself, realizing that she had picked up on his thoughts. 'Careful, man,' he warned himself, caressing Rhea's hands with his own, 'You don't want to scare this one away...'  
  
***  
  
The night had gone wonderfully. Rhea and Jeddy had talked for hours, long after the party had ended and a brief (not really brief. It just seemed so to the two lovebirds) congregation of all peoples present took place in the Fellowship Hall. Rhea and Jeddy had sat on one of the many private verandas and talked until dawn, when the ball was officially over. Jeddy had kissed Rhea's hand, then her palm, a sign of companionship in his land, and Rhea had kissed his cheeks and forehead, a sign of deep friendship on the Silver Star.  
  
He waved good-bye to her anxiously, knowing of their plans for later that day. He would come to visit her and Satia, then go with her to her chambers, where they would get to know eachother even more. (Not that way you ecchi monster! They were respectful of eachother, and expected nothing but pleasant talk and chatter!)  
  
Jeddy arrived later that day a good two hours before dusk. Rhea had informed Satia of his plans, and Satia smiled knowingly to herself. She was satisfied with what she had accomplished. Happy that she had helped her friend. She quickly devised how she would leave the two alone. 'Three's a crowd,' she thought, picking out her dress for the day. 'Silk is good, but in a mans company I would like something less revealing. Hm. Velvet today. Yes, white velvet with the blue tassels. That ought to work perfectly. Yes. Wonderful. I do hope the wedding isn't soon. I would have to find a dress and everything!'  
  
****  
  
Jeddy walked next to Rhea as she led him to her chambers. It had been about forty years since a man had entered her rooms, and then it was to announce an attack on the Princess. She had an odd feeling in her stomach. Like thousands of moon-flys had suddenly declared it their home, and she couldn't get rid of them. It was all right, though. There was a warm feeling surrounding her heart. When are you due back home, Jeddy? she asked him, telepathically.  
  
Tomorrow afternoon, he smiled. But I could always be a little late. No one would question it. Save my mother, of course.  
  
I see. When are you planning to go back?  
  
He looked at her pointedly. When I am done with my business here, of course.  
  
Rhea blushed deeply. Jeddy took her hand into his own and kissed her knuckles lightly. Rhea closed her hand over his, and they let their hands fall like that. Rhea smiled.  
  
"I'm glad you came," she said, squeezing his hand.  
  
"I'm glad I came, too," he squeezed her hand back.  
  
They reached her rooms, and Rhea distractedly opened the door, trying to act as if she was used to letting men into her room. Jeddy entered before her, and she closed the door securely, locking it.  
  
"Touble with gossipmongers, eh?" he asked, a smile twinkling in his deep eyes.  
  
"Well, actually, no. Just nosey people who like to know what becomes of what they start," Rhea replied, thinking of Satia.  
  
"Oh, I see."  
  
"Would you like to sit?" she asked, motioning to a small table that was placed approximately at the center of the room. Jeddy nodded, examining his surroundings while moving towards the table. There were two main windows in the room, and four rather large ceiling windows. Two paintings were placed on the walls, opposite eachother, on the sides where the windows were not.  
  
The first painting, which was close on his right, pictured a full moon overlooking a jutting cliff that rose over lapping ocean waves. It reminded him of the view of the cliff that was to the East of the Silver Palace. On the tip of the cliff a single figure, a woman, was placed. She wore a red silk gown, the captured wind freezing tendrils of the fine cloth behind her. Her hair was swept back in a chignon, which was in the midst of falling from place. She gazed at the moon, and from her expression and demeanor, longing and love were shown in her affection for the great glowing orb. Jeddy wwas stunned from the beauty and talent captured in this painting. He turned in his chair, almost unwillingly, to view the other piece.  
  
This painting was different from the first. It still was placed in twilight, but the sky was licked by bright yellow and red flames. The flames originated from a giant fire that consumed a huge forest. There was pictured the destruction from the path of the fire, where the wood and grass was scorched black and the trees felled from the weakening effect of the fire. Where the fire had moved to and was now frozen in place, the trees were a deathly gray color, all consumed in the smoke and ash, unable to grasp any life. The soil around them burned mercilessly, the bark dropping, releasing the tender pulp of the trees, their cores. Before the flames, an area in apparent peace lay, where the lands were calm and green, only the horrid smoke drifting through their branches, the trees were serene and tall, unharmed and unaware of the impending danger. To Jeddy, the painting was one of unpredictable confusion and untamed chaos, yet behind it was the serenity of everything that is taken for granted in the midst of the melee.  
  
He felt his eyes begin to sting, the memories of his childhood roaring like the ocean that surged boundless behind the very walls he was encompased by in his ears. He reached up lazily, acting smooth. He didn't want Rhea to see him crying. Not because of some manly bravado, but because she would be worried and curious, and he would feel compelled to explain himself.  
  
"That one is my favorite," said the woman he had just been thinking about, coming up behind him. "Although, I am quite partial to Serenade of the Moon. I guess I love them both equally. That is why I decided to keep them, after all."  
  
"Yes, I suppose that is the reason..."  
  
With that said, Rhea turned, then felt Jeddy grab her arm in a firm yet tender grasp. "Wha-?" she asked, entirely confused, but not unwilling.  
  
"I..." Jeddy began, but his words left him, defeated him. He kissed her...  
  
***  
  
Rhea's eyes glistened with unshed tears. "You changed my life forever... You... You..." She turned, unable to finish her sentence.  
  
"Rhea," Jeddy said, reaching for her. He placed his hand on her shoulder, and let out his trapped breath when she didn't turn away.  
  
She turned instead, and smiled suddenly. "I missed you so much!" She threw her arms around him, hugged him fiercely.  
  
"Oh, Rhea..." He said, patting her head, rubbing her back, hugging her, inhaling her smell, feeling her soft skin. It was all so surreal to him, completely wonderful, yet seemingly not true...  
  
"Don't leave me again, Jedeil. I don't know what I would do..."  
  
"Never again, my love, my angel, my life... Never again. Together forever, now and forever."  
  
"Forever..." she whispered, closing her eyes and leaning into her lover, her refound love.  
  
"Forever..." he repeated, kissing the crown of her head softly. Rhea smiled.  
  
"Are you going to come back with me?" she asked, listening to the steady beat of his heart. It was rhythmic, mesmerizing, and she felt a total calming peace settle over her.  
  
"Of course. If you want me too, that is." He whispered gently into her hair.  
  
"Of course I want you to come back with me!" Rhea paused, looking into the deep blueish gray eyes of her love. 'Gray?' she thought, 'This is new...' "Love, how are we to get back?"  
  
He looked puzzled, then smiled. "You will wish us back, Avatar of Mars."  
  
"Oh, I see." Rhea smiled. She pulled out her transformation pen from her Lunar Space Pocket and intoned, "Mars Star Power!" Just like earlier, tiny motes of pale read energy laced in flame began to swirl around her, and she was in her Sailor fuku once more. Mars walked over to Jeddy and laced her fingers through his own. "Ready?" she asked.  
  
"I was born ready," he said, imitating the American saying. Mars giggled a little, intoxicated by the days happenings.  
  
"I hope you are ready," she said, suddenly sober, "For there will be many questions to be answered once we get home."  
  
"Home..." he said, a saddened longing in his voice.  
  
"Forever..." she said, then gained her infamous determined demeanor. "TELEPORT!" said Mars, and the white realm around them disappeared.  
  
***  
  
That's the end of Chapter 4!! Finally! Lol... Ok, Send any comments to Thunderheart1234511@yahoo.com!  
  
You can send flames there too, and they are always accepted!  
  
~Eri 


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